Early Day Motion
Support this Early Day Motion to safeguard people impacted by eating disorders
Campaigning for protection from harmful eating disorder content online
In June this year, First Steps ED took part in the Online Harms Roundtable hosted by the APPG for Eating Disorders and Dump The Scales.
Alongside Ofcom, campaigners, charities, MPs, influencers, and those with lived experience, we heard powerful stories, important data, and raised concerns around online safety, health misinformation, and eating disorders.
That work has led to an Early Day Motion (EDM) – a system used by MPs to draw the attention of the House of Commons to a particular issue, event or campaign that has not yet been scheduled for debate.
The EDM calls for urgent stronger measures to protect the public from dangerous pro-eating disorder content online and increased education in schools on safe social media use.
We are proud to support the EDM in Parliament. You can support this work by emailing your local MP asking for their support. It’s quick and easy, plus helps your MP to represent you in Parliament.
Who is my MP?
Find out who your local MP is using www.theyworkforyou.com or call the House of Commons Information Office on 020 7219 4272.
Contacting your MP
You can send your MP an email or handwritten letter. Remember to include your name and full address (MPs will only listen to their constituents) and, if it’s your first letter to your MP, start by introducing yourself.
Explain why this issue is important to you personally – this will make your letter stand out.
Then explain what you want them to do about the issue (in this case, signing the EDM) and ask them to confirm they have done this.
Letter template
Personalised letters work best, but feel free to use this template:
{YOUR FULL ADDRESS}
{YOUR POSTCODE}
{DATE}
Dear {MP NAME},
My names is {YOUR NAME} and I am a constituent of {OUR CONSTITUENCY}. I am writing to you today because I am concerned about protecting people with eating disorders and those vulnerable to eating disorders from harmful content online.
This is something that’s particularly important to me as {EXPLAIN REASONS AND PERSONAL EXPERIENCES}.
I am asking you to sign this Early Day Motion to show your support: https://edm.parliament.uk/early-day-motion/64233/eating-disorders-and-online-harms
Please let me know if you have signed the EDM or how you intend to address this on my behalf.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours faithfully,
{YOUR NAME}
Helpful Resources
What We’re Talking About
Explore our interactive content designed to raise awareness about mental health and social media.
