NO ONE ever claimed that the Internet wouldn't cause problems. Scholars, politicians and laymen alike have been troubled of late by the pornography, hate and violent information that the Internet now makes easily accessible to children. In the midst of this controversy, a dangerous new trend has begun to emerge on the World Wide Web: An estimated 400 Web sites have materialized that proclaim themselves to be "pro-Ana" - pro-Anorexia. They devote themselves solely to the encouragement of anorexia, offering tips not only on how to stay anorexic, but on how to further the effects of the disease in one's life. The existence of these Web sites not only betrays the presence of deep-seeded problems in our society, but demands the attention of politicians who hold the power to control these types of atrocities.
The creators of these Web sites are themselves anorexics hoping to seek support from others suffering from the disorder through these organizations. Those who frequent the sites are proud of their anorexia, claiming that individuals who try to help them are merely taking part in a "misguided witch-hunt against those who responsibly restrict their caloric intake as a lifestyle choice" (http://www.smh.com.au/news/0108/30/opinion/opinion5.html).
These sites, many of which contain "inspirational" pictures of women so thin that they are literally on the verge of death, offer tips such as, "Make a sort of 'ritual' that you make yourself do every time you eat, preferably something that you don't enjoy. This will make you less likely to eat, because you'll dread whatever it is that comes next" (http://www.geocities.com/my_friend_anna_anorexia/tips4anorexics.html).
On the same "pro-Ana" Web site, one girl left the following statement: "'I hate it when my stomach cramps, my ribs hurt and my throat hurts from purging and the acid pealing the skin off my right hand, and the dizzy feeling. [But] being pro-anorexia is my choice ... If I continue to fight to be thin, I will win in the end. If I die, then I die fighting for the body I always wanted. I die being very brave and strong."
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Though these types of behaviors obviously are troubling, those who frequent the sites honestly believe in what they are saying. These individuals are in dire need of medical and psychological attention, and these Web sites are providing just the opposite of what is required. They are giving anorexics encouragement and attempting to paint the disease - not a factor of the desire to be thin but a maladjusted manifestation of the need for control - into a legitimate lifestyle.
Politicians have debated the regulation of e-commerce and online gambling but have backed away from questions involving the censorship of material available on the Internet. This is understandable because anytime the First Amendment is brought into question controversy is sure to arise. However, these Web sites, which have gained widespread popularity (as is evident from the sheer number of them) help to perpetuate and encourage a severe psychological disorder which ultimately can result in death. This shows us that the question can no longer be avoided. It is time to take a stand.
The world in which we find ourselves today is infinitely more complex than that which existed even a century ago. The massive developments in technology that enable information to travel quickly and easily across the globe require a type of regulation that our founding fathers could not have anticipated when they wrote the First Amendment. Freedom of speech is an important pillar of American society - it is largely what makes our country the great place that it is. But in an age where information - and thus, life - moves at the speed of light, we need to modify our initial conceptions of what this liberty really means. We have clung so desperately to the notion of complete anti-censorship that in recent decades we have sacrificed all in its name - including reason. It has become more than clear that the line needs to be drawn somewhere.
To continue to allow anything and everything to be broadcast for the world to see and hear is to invite a continuation of the severe decline in morality which few will deny we have seen in the last 40 years. Many will claim that to begin censorship in any form is a departure from American values and is the first step toward the tyranny that our society so despises, but we have to remember that the deliberations of our legislature, in addition to the system of checks and balances, will remain intact to keep censorship from exceeding moderation.
Each legislative initiative dealing with the issue of censorship should be considered on a case-by-case basis. However, generally speaking, it is time to move toward government regulation of Internet technology, and thus stand up for the victims of the reckless indiscretion of pure anti-censorship.
(Laura Parcells' column appears Fridays in The Cavalier Daily. She can be reached at lparcells@cavalierdaily.com.)
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