Why eating disorder content is all over the internet [Audio] [Ad-free]
Added 2025-08-06 07:15:00 +0000 UTCEating disorder content has been a problem on the internet since as early as 2001, but it accelerated with the advent of social media. Today we’re examining why it’s become more prevalent than perhaps at any other time. EJ Dickson, a writer who investigated the #SkinnyTok community for The Cut, joins us to talk about the introduction of eating disorder content in the mainstream internet, its causes and characters.
Our guest EJ Dickson is a senior writer at The Cut. You can check out her investigative piece on Liv Schmidt and #SkinnyTok here, and follow her work everywhere @ejdickson.
Comments
Hi hello from a new patreon member! Haven't stopped thinking about this episode since listening to it when it dropped. I was a tumblr kid as a teen (frankly, still am in my 31 year old bones) and can remember seeing ED content on there and telling myself "not to look." Same thing happened when insta came to be and was notifying users with advisories before engaging with the content. It feels surreal to learn about how ED culture has evolved in this age of the internet; makes me feel grateful I've kept my distance from it all. Sending praise, and a big hug, to EJ for their dedication to reporting on this despite it hitting so close to home. Thank you for the work you guys do, no matter how bleak it can be lol
April
2025-08-11 00:13:53 +0000 UTCin my memory (a reformed pro-ana girlie) the “bikini bridge” may have predated the thigh gap
aura
2025-08-06 17:32:23 +0000 UTC
