Catalan authorities fine firm over online content promoting eating disorders

The Catalan authorities have fined a company headquartered in Ireland for refusing to take down online material that "justified anorexia and bulimia."

Business minister Àngels Chacón announced the 85,000-euro fine for the Automattic Inc. company in parliament on Wednesday.  

It is the first time a penalty has been imposed on a company for hosting online content encouraging eating disorders since new legislation was introduced this year.

Chacón said that the blog in question contained "pejorative messages about good nutrition" and "fostered anorexia" and "encouraged weight loss."

Catalonia's consumer agency has processed 43 complaints since the law came into effect in March, with 23 companies removing objectionable content.