Research Questions:
How has the Internet changed the way opportunities for socially marginalized groups connect so that they can support themselves?
Would these groups exist without the Internet?
Is there a way to regulate these websites? What steps have been taken by the FCC and EFF done to regulate such sites?
Purpose: Uncover the existence of these underground cyber communities. Explain how the Internet has affected these communities . Explain how the FCC and EFF has regulated these sites and uncover the loop holes that exist.
First I will find pro anorexic and pro bulimic websites. I will search for them through Myspace, Youtube, Facebook and Xanga. http://www.fading-obsession.com/thinspo/song-list.php
This website offers tips on encouraging starvation. Lists of songs for anorexic girls to listen to in order to encourage their habit. Songs refer to eating disorders and emphasize beauty. This also offers web forums and discussion groups in which people can talk about their eating disorder and exchange tips.
There’s many links to different starvation diets such as :
3 a day fruit diet.
http://www.fading-obsession.com/diets/3-a-day-fruit-diet.php
Ana Creed.
http://www.fading-obsession.com/religion/ana-creed.php
They also define bulimia, anorexia and talk about the dangers but the rest of the website supports the behavior and lifestyle.
Some sites have been shut down , or the links are not working anymore. http://www.proanamia.com/
This website requires a user to login and registering is now disabled.
Next I will read news articles about these websites and what the news has to say in reference to this issue. These news articles can be found through searching via Google. I typed “anorexic websites” and narrowed my search to the most recent news articles. These news articles include videos as well.
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1038080_fury_at_websites_fuelling_anorexia
http://www.inthenews.co.uk/news/health/campaigners-call-action-on-pro-anorexia-websites-$1207012.htm
http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,91251-1306604,00.html
According to Wikipedia, Yahoo Groups has banned these types of websites .
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pro-ana
Then I will search for what the laws are in relationship to these websites. The FCC as well as the EFF.
http://w2.eff.org/bloggers/
I will also research Web Videos on the effects of these websites on society.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYlxeuSKo-s
I'm still in the process of researching, organizing and planning.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
So you will now be talking about regulation on the internet? As I understand it you will be using the pro-ana sites as a guideline of some sort. Will you also be exploring other types of sites that should/should not be regulated...such as pornography and others, although I can't think of anything else on that subject right now.
Great topic. I am really interested in the section you said about: Lists of songs for anorexic girls to listen to in order to encourage their habit. You might want want to see if you can contact who writes these songs & what is there perception of beauty. You also might want to visit support groups that deal with these issues & listening to people who struggle with eating disorders.
This is a pretty crazy thing. All of these sites say that they don't encourage eating disorders but then they tell you how to eat only 300 calories a day. It seems like as long as they put a disclaimer about only being a "support group" they can say whatever they want once the user gets into the site. That's probably the loophole that they use. I would imagine it would be a tough issue because it becomes a freedom of speech issue.
I agree with what Jenny said about contacting the people that write the songs and see what their intentions were when they were writing the songs, and if they know that people are using these songs as encouragment for something so bad. I really like your topic and I'm interested in hearing more about it!
It's kind of scary that there are websites on the Internet which encourage people to not eat to feel/look beautiful. Do they have the right to post what they want though? In their eyes, they believe this is the right way to live their life. What if a younger child comes across these websites and thinks she has to not eat to be beautiful? I think this is a really great topic which can be taken from a bunch of different persepectives.
Post a Comment