Trends in Self-Harm

Self-harm content proliferates across all UGC-hosting platforms.

Research finds that 83% of US middle and high school social media users have been passively recommended self-harm content by mainstream platforms.

Such material exposes an increasing number of vulnerable, young users to content that encourage dangerous behaviors, including body mutilation and eating disorders.

 

ActiveFence report titled 'Trend Update: Self-Harm Communities - The Distribution of Harmful Content,' discussing self-harm trends, legal context, and multimedia promotion.

Within this Report

Since the victims themselves produce much of the harmful content shared, tackling this risk area requires a delicate and nuanced approach to the content and users involved. In this report, you will find examples of:

  • Relevant Keywords
  • Indicative Symbols
  • Adaptive Coded Keywords
  • Moderator Obfuscation Activity
  • Emerging Self-Harm Promoting Multimedia Resources

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