Ana and Mia in the "new" network: comunities reunite anorexic and bulimic individuals in the Web 2.0

Abstract

The article seeks, through a historical contextualization, to situate the pro-anorexia and pro-bulimia movement broadcasted on the Internet as one of the characteristic phenomena of the contemporary culture, remarkably influenced by the speed of the information flows and network organization. We start with a chronological survey of the Internet, since its debut to present day, with the so-called Web 2.0. Then we proceed to a description of the pro-ana and pro-mia movement, through empirical research on several sites and virtual communities. Finally, we have developed an analysis of this phenomenon, emphasizing its relation to the network and culture that provided its development and expansion.