Social media makes many Australian teens feel worse about their bodies. Platforms must take responsibility

‘Like delivering gambling ads to gamblers, the social media algorithms feed those with a propensity for eating disorders.’ Illustration: Victoria Hart/Guardian Design/Getty Images

Soon after the 2022 election a woman came into my electorate office to tell me about her teenage daughter.

She spoke about her family’s journey through anorexia, the lack of effective and available medical support and treatment, about her child being held down by security guards for forced refeeding in hospital, the compounding mental health issues for the whole family, the financial and marital pressure as she tried to keep her child alive.