Thigh gaps and filtered snaps: a qualitative study exploring opportunities to mitigate social media harm through content moderation for people with eating disorders

Abstract

Background: The ubiquity of social media has increased exposure to idealised beauty standards, often unrealistic and harmful. Repeated exposure has been linked to body dissatisfaction, harmful behaviours, and potentially the development of eating disorders (ED). Given the volume of content produced daily, effective harm mitigation strategies (automated or user-driven) are essential, requiring an informed understanding of the contexts and nuances surrounding harmful content. Objective: The study has two key aims: (1) to understand the perspectives of experts by profession and people with lived experience of ED, on what makes social media content harmful in the context of body image and ED, in..