Pro-Ana and Pro-Mia sites.

^
I don't mean to insult your pain here if that's how it comes out, but I think everything you said is precisely why these websites shouldn't be allowed. They taught you how to hate yourself. That's not something that should happen when you stumble across a website.

No, I know. My point is that they shouldn't be allowed. Even though they might be support-networks for a select few, they aren't healthy at all and do far more damage than good.

The Rumor:

No, I know. My point is that they shouldn't be allowed. Even though they might be support-networks for a select few, they aren't healthy at all and do far more damage than good.

Oh. I misunderstood your post then. My apologies.

No worries. It ended up pretty long. :shifty

I don't think they are good sites but nevertheless, free speech. If you censor one type of sites then it'll lead on to more and more. Some things people deem harmful (such as cursing) is not and if those sites were taken down due to content then people who find something petty like cursing harmful would want sites with curse words taken down.
It would just start something that would eventually cause us to lose our rights.

Felidae Evol:

I don't think they are good sites but nevertheless, free speech. If you censor one type of sites then it'll lead on to more and more. Some things people deem harmful (such as cursing) is not and if those sites were taken down due to content then people who find something petty like cursing harmful would want sites with curse words taken down.
It would just start something that would eventually cause us to lose our rights.

But cursing isn't a mental disorder that permanently damages your body and leads to death if untreated.

I'm very anti promoting eating disorders as lifestyles, which most of these sites do. But forum sites and places where other suffers can discuss and help each other cope I think they are okay-ish. But even then information is avaliable to people who aren't suffering and it can be very triggering for people with low self-esteem already.

Lily.Breaks.Eggs.:

I'm very anti promoting eating disorders as lifestyles, which most of these sites do. But forum sites and places where other suffers can discuss and help each other cope I think they are okay-ish. But even then information is avaliable to people who aren't suffering and it can be very triggering for people with low self-esteem already.

That's why alot of them now have disclaimers warning that if you don't already have an ED, then you shouldn't come onto the site, or look for ways to tell you how to be ana/mia.

^ Porn sites have those, too...
ARE YOU OVER 18?
*14-year-old boy confirms that yes, he is*

(Of course, watching soft porn and learning how to make yourself sick are completely different and all, but... )

Yeah, it's not much of a point, but... I dunno, I generally don't listen to disclaimers. I don't think many teenagers do?

Pro-ana is a trigger for vulnerable people, though... If someone's already at risk of developing an eating disorder, pro-ana sites can cause a hell of a lot more harm than good.

I'm not really sure as to whether these sites are good or not.
It helps those who feel similar things feel less alone, but in the end are focusing on achieving an negative result.
For example, I remember finding a site that listed many many ways how to kill oneself and how much the method was rated..

I think it's good for people dealing with similar things to communicate, but not to reinforce a certain negative way of thinking.

Pro-ana and pro-mia sites should be banned. They're pretty disgusting. I definitely have to agree with everyone that said all they do is destroy your self-esteem and in the long run you end wanting nothing more than to cool glamorous or gorgeous.

I don't really know what else to say because everyone else got it down pat.

To be honest I searched for them once, and they are pretty damn hard to find. I did find anti ana sites though...

They shouldn't be allowed but hey I was just curious...

I had a very harmful experience with one of these sites as a kid. I still really haven't recovered from it. It's something that I battle with every single day of my life. Why should a website that has altered someone's life so severely, been so harmful to their mind and body be allowed?
They should be banned. I understand the freedom of speech bit but... just like Dru said above, they teach you how to hate yourself. Things like that are so... inhumane and they shouldn't be around.
It amazes me that nothing has been done to stop this yet, but then again.. it doesn't. I pray that in the future movements will be made to try to change and ban things of this nature.
No little girl should ever have to go through that again.

comedically tragic.:

It amazes me that nothing has been done to stop this yet, but then again.. it doesn't. I pray that in the future movements will be made to try to change and ban things of this nature.

Some things have been done.

In April 2008, a bill outlawing material which "provokes a person to seek excessive thinness by encouraging prolonged restriction of nourishment" was tabled in the French National Assembly by UMP MP Valérie Boyer. It imposes a fine of €30,000 and two years imprisonment (rising to €45,000 and three years if there was a resulting death) on offenders.

Yahoo removed all pro-ana and pro-mia clubs from it's Clubs registry stating that sites that promoted self-harm broke it's TOS.

Facebook deletes pro-ana/mia groups.

In November 2007, Microsoft shut down four pro-ana sites on the Spanish-language version of its Spaces social networking service at the behest of IQUA, the Internet regulatory body for Catalonia. A Microsoft spokesperson stated that such sites "infringe all the rules on content created by users and visible on our sites".

MySpace won't take the sites down, but it generates recovery banners as the advertisements on pages of users that are members of pro-ana/mia groups on MySpace.

druscilla; with you.:

comedically tragic.:

It amazes me that nothing has been done to stop this yet, but then again.. it doesn't. I pray that in the future movements will be made to try to change and ban things of this nature.

Some things have been done.

In April 2008, a bill outlawing material which "provokes a person to seek excessive thinness by encouraging prolonged restriction of nourishment" was tabled in the French National Assembly by UMP MP Valérie Boyer. It imposes a fine of €30,000 and two years imprisonment (rising to €45,000 and three years if there was a resulting death) on offenders.

Yahoo removed all pro-ana and pro-mia clubs from it's Clubs registry stating that sites that promoted self-harm broke it's TOS.

Facebook deletes pro-ana/mia groups.

In November 2007, Microsoft shut down four pro-ana sites on the Spanish-language version of its Spaces social networking service at the behest of IQUA, the Internet regulatory body for Catalonia. A Microsoft spokesperson stated that such sites "infringe all the rules on content created by users and visible on our sites".

MySpace won't take the sites down, but it generates recovery banners as the advertisements on pages of users that are members of pro-ana/mia groups on MySpace.

:cheese: Oh. :tehe:
I was clearly misinformed, thank you.
Reading that made me actually tear up a bit. Thank god things are changing.

I know a site that calls itself a pro-ana/pro-mia site.
But it is a support group made by sufferers.
Who are helping people get past it.
:think: those ones are okay I guess.

But the LJ one is shocking.
:grr:

^ The LJ one is one of the biggest ones.

I know, and it's revolting.

The LJ one is plain sick. And way easy to find I was shocked. I wasn't even looking for it.
One of the girl's goal weight is only 88lbs and she is 5 foot 5. :cheese:

Most ana/mia sites actually tell all users about the dangers of both disorders. Often, they don't promote the illnesses, but simply offer information, and forums where sufferers can talk to each other.
Of course, I realise that any site like this will more often than not make the sufferer feel better about having the illness, rather than encourage them to quit...
...Which is why I'm against them.
However, if sites like that are removed, what will be next? Sometimes, political correctness and government control can go too far, such as the Russian Government trying to ban emo/goth music.