The idea behind a chatbot project funded by the National Eating Disorders Association was that technology could be unleashed to help people seeking guidance about eating behaviors, available around the clock.
Their creation was named Tessa, and the organization invited people to chat with it in an Instagram post last year, describing it as “a wellness chatbot, helping you build resilience and self-awareness by introducing coping skills at your convenience.” In March, the organization said it would shut down a human-staffed helpline and let the bot stand on its own.
But when Alexis Conason, a psychologist and eating disorder specialist, tested the chatbot, she found reason for concern.
Ms. Conason told it that she had gained weight “and really hate my body,” specifying that she had “an eating disorder,” in a chat she shared on social media.
Tessa still recommended the standard advice of noting “the number of calories” and adopting a “safe daily calorie deficit” — which, Ms. Conason said, is “problematic” advice for a person with an eating disorder.
Persons:
Tessa, Alexis Conason, Conason
Organizations:
Eating Disorders