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7 ISJLP 1 (2011-2012)
Pro-Self-Harm and the Visibility of Youth-Generated Problematic Content

handle is hein.journals/isjlpsoc7 and id is 5 raw text is: Pro-Self-Harm and the Visibility of Youth-
Generated Problematic Contentt
DANAH BOYD,* JENNY RYAN,** AND ALEX LEAvITr***
Abstract: The increasing ubiquity of the Internet in the
everyday lives of youth has been accompanied by a whole
new set of anxieties and concerns. While many have
worried about how the Internet increases youth access to
problematic content-including pornographic and violent
content-little consideration has been paid to youth-
generated problematic content. This Article examines one
genre of youth-generated problematic content: that which
advocates self-harm practices. Countless websites and
online communities are devoted to the topic of deliberate
self-harm, ranging from online therapy and support groups
to pro-anorexia and pro-cutting websites, and much of
the content on these websites is produced by and for youth.
This paper seeks to provide an overview of what is known
t This Article was produced as part of the Youth and Media Policy Working Group at
Harvard University's Berkman Center for Internet and Society. The authors appreciate the
generous support of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation for making this
project possible. The authors would like to thank James Grimmelmann and Kate Crawford
for their critical feedback.
* danah boyd is a Senior Researcher at Microsoft Research and a Research Associate at
Harvard University's Berkman Center for Internet and Society. She co-directed the
Internet Safety Technical Task Force and co-directs the Youth and Media Policy Working
Group Initiative. danah boyd, http://www.DANAH.org (last visited Feb. 15, 2011).
** Jenny Ryan is a Ph.D. student in Communication at the University of California, San
Diego. Jenny Ryan, http://www.JENNYRYAN.net (last visited Feb. 15, 2011).
*** Alex Leavitt is a Research Assistant at Microsoft Research and a Researcher at the
Convergence Culture Consortium (Comparative Media Studies, Massachusetts Institute of
Technology). Alex Leavitt, http://www.ALEXLEAVITr.com (last visited Feb. 15, 2011).

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