UltraViolet Joins ParentsTogether to Urge TikTok & Instagram to Stop Promoting Extreme Weight Loss to Kids
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, January 19, 2022
CONTACT: Anna Zuccaro | anna@unbendablemedia.com
UltraViolet Joins ParentsTogether to Urge TikTok & Instagram to Stop Promoting Extreme Weight Loss to Kids
Gender Justice Advocacy Group UltraViolet Joins ParentsTogether urging TikTok and Instagram Leaders to stop promoting pro-eating disorder content to children and teens
A new petition from ParentsTogether, a community of more than 2.5 million parent advocates, and UltraViolet is calling on Shouzi Chew, CEO of TikTok, and Adam Mosseri of Instagram to stop their platforms from promoting pro-eating disorder content to children.
Both groups garnered over 5000 signatures calling on TikTok and Instagram to stop promoting content that triggers eating disorders for users, especially young girls and teenagers.
VIEW PETITIONS HERE:
https://act.weareultraviolet.org/sign/diet_culture_online/
According to recent reports, TikTok and Instagram recommend videos to young users including “how to eat 300 calories a day, “how to look like The Corpse Bride,” and “how to trick your parents into believing you ate.”
“Parents are overwhelmed as we desperately try to protect our kids from the constant drumbeat of social media that pushes kids to make their bodies smaller and thinner by any means necessary. Social media is powering a body-image crisis that is devastating millions of young girls,” said Bethany Robertson, co-Director of ParentsTogether. “These rich and powerful companies must put kids over profits and stop pushing extreme and dangerous dieting and weight loss ads and content to young users.”
“Instagram and Tiktok target children and teens with ‘#thinspo’ content to increase usership and sell products. These flagrantly irresponsible and predatory practices are perpetuating the already rampant issue of eating disorders for adolescent girls in America,” said Bridget Todd, director of communications at UltraViolet. “Since the pandemic, child hospitalizations from anorexia have doubled. It’s no coincidence that social media algorithms target younger users with content that promotes engaging in these harmful and unhealthy behaviors.”
Last week, ParentsTogether also released an advisory to their members warning about the rise of dieting, weight-loss, and other body-focused content on social media, which becomes especially widespread in January.
The advisory reads:
Parents should know that while social media always presents risks for kids struggling with body image or food, January can be an especially risky month. Parents should be aware of their kids’ social media use and talk to them about self-acceptance and healthy habits.
Read the full advisory HERE: https://parentstogetheraction.org/2022/01/11/parent-advisory-in-january-beware-social-media-induced-eating-disorders/
# # #