Social networks Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest introduced help functions aimed at people with eating disorders, with tools like advice from specialized organizations that will be displayed to people who perform searches related to these issues.
Thanks to these new functions, users who try to search for something related to this type of disorder, such as “anorexia”, for example, the platform will throw them a series of tips on how to deal with this disease.
In the case of TikTok and users who carry out searches related to eating disorders, the ‘app’ of the social network connect people to the helpline from the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) and will provide help and information on treatment options.
In addition, as the company has reported in a statement, TikTok will also show its users tips developed with experts to identify symptoms such as negative self-talk and to help think about the positive attributes of oneself and others affected.
Instagram teamed up with NEDA (National Eating Disorders Association) to provide a number of online resources.
Another feature consists of some updates in the hashtags section where the social network plans to place a public service announcement that could contain triggering content towards other pages or organizations that have the objective of informing users.
Instagram has also taken steps to help people affected by eating disorders, which also include links to specialized institutions to those who search on topics such as recovery treatments, as reported by Engadget.
Thus, when one enters a term related to eating disorders in the Instagram search engine, a message will appear saying “We can help you?…“explaining that lPosts containing those words often encourage harmful behavior.
This will be accompanied by a link to request help, either from a friend, a volunteer or by accessing a series of resources such as the NEDA.
Likewise, the platform owned by Facebook will show the resources when a user try sharing this recovery content or if your friends detect symptoms of disorders. Instagram will continue to blur content related to these issues, as it did previously.
The measures of the three platforms arrive coinciding with the National Week for the Visibility of Eating Disorders in the United States, which takes place from February 22 to 28.
For its part, Pinterest has announced in another statement its participation in the week of visibility of these disorders, dedicating resources to disseminate it and redirecting users who search terms related to these disorders to the official page of the Association of Eating Disorders of U.S.
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