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| Instagram helps fight eating disorders |
Instagram has announced that it will increase resources for patients with eating disorders on its social platform.
When users search for posters or content that may be related to an eating disorder, the company directs users to the National Eating Disorders Association in the United States and to the diet or hotline in other countries in the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada.
Instagram said: It's currently trying to encrypt content that might appear in search results and make people look for public support for the crisis. Now he needs to direct users to resources specifically designed for food disorders.
The platform also mentioned on the blog that the platform plans to offer resources when someone tries to share content related to eating disorders or when a friend is anxious about seeing something posted and wants to offer support.
If you are currently looking for content related to eating disorders, it will take you to a list of general helplines that include not only the National Association of Eating Disorders, but the National Association of Mental Illness, Veterans Crisis Line, and the Trevor Project.
However, Instagram screenshots show that the support button refers specifically to contacts for the National Eating Disorders Association in the United States, rather than just showing the full list of available support lines.
The company also said that as part of its National Eating Disorder Awareness Week program, the company plans to work with community leaders to post videos with reels to promote positive body image, avoid harmful stereotypes, and show that all bodies deserve celebration.
In the past, Instagram has struggled to regulate eating disorders, and social media frequently appears in conversations about negative body image and cognition, especially among young adults.
While prioritizing the use of higher resources in solving self-esteem problems after using the site may not help much, it should help those who have difficulty obtaining expert help.
The update is similar to the update announced by TikTok, but unlike TikTok, Instagram appears to have previously reported that it was using resources that are no longer available, despite appearing on the public hotline list.
When TikTok users search for the terms of eating disorder, the app now offers support resources and a phone number for the National Eating Disorders Association.
TikTok also plans to post public notices through tabs that may contain motivational content. The PSA includes a link to the National Eating Disorders Association's helpline, and some users may send text messages to help with a crisis.