German Federal Review Board blocks anorexia blog
The Federal Review Board for Media Harmful to Young Persons (BPJM) has for the first time blocked a blog on the Internet that positively portrays and glorifies anorexia nervosa, better known as anorexia. It is the blog of a minor who belongs to the so-called pro-ana scene.
The Federal Review Board for Media Harmful to Young Persons (BPJM) has for the first time blocked a blog on the Internet that positively portrays and glorifies anorexia nervosa, better known as anorexia. It is the blog of a minor who belongs to the so-called pro-ana scene.
The Federal Review Board argues that the blog content undermines the parental right and duty to educate their children. They endangered and hindered the education of young people to become responsible and socially competent personalities. The blog is harmful to minors because it glorifies and trivializes behavior that can lead to physical harm.
According to 20 Minuten, the BPJM's decision has been heavily criticized by legal experts. Hundreds of comments on the report can be found on Lawbog alone. Many speak of censorship in this context. Censorship is never good, and certainly not when it happens so arbitrarily just because a state-appointed body decides that it is.
However, there are also said to be voices in the blogging scene who support the BPJM's decision. For example, Johnny Haeusler, the man behind the German blog Spreeblick: "Indexing such a site is not about blocking an anorexia forum, rather a cult has developed on the net that elevates anorexia to a religion {...}" he is quoted as saying in the free newspaper.
The Federal Review Board argues that the blog content undermines the parental right and duty to educate their children. They endangered and hindered the education of young people to become responsible and socially competent personalities. The blog is harmful to minors because it glorifies and trivializes behavior that can lead to physical harm.
According to 20 Minuten, the BPJM's decision has been heavily criticized by legal experts. Hundreds of comments on the report can be found on Lawbog alone. Many speak of censorship in this context. Censorship is never good, and certainly not when it happens so arbitrarily just because a state-appointed body decides that it is.
However, there are also said to be voices in the blogging scene who support the BPJM's decision. For example, Johnny Haeusler, the man behind the German blog Spreeblick: "Indexing such a site is not about blocking an anorexia forum, rather a cult has developed on the net that elevates anorexia to a religion {...}" he is quoted as saying in the free newspaper.
