Must not encourage anorexics to eat more

Amazon has pulled a controversial computer game where players are encouraged to feed a cartoon character battling anorexia.

The game is based on children's favourite Whack-a-mole but instead of hitting the mole with a mallet players are invited to throw food at the cartoon girl.

It was marketed by SmartTouch media and sold on the Amazon and Android platforms until it was withdrawn following a string of angry complaints.

If the player misses the girl, she starts to lose weight until she eventually dies.

According to the game's instructions, which have now been withdrawn: 'It’s your time to become a real hero with this new amusing game Rescue The Anorexia Girl!

'You know, heroes are not just superheroes, flying in the skies, throwing rocks and fighting villains with supernatural powers. Anyone can be a hero, if he is willing to help others from the bottom of his heart. Start saving the day now!'

The game's designers continue: 'Anorexia is a serious disease and fatal if not cured in time. When you have anorexia, the desire to lose weight becomes more important than anything else.

However, social media users reacted with horror when they first saw the game on the internet.

Brian Cuban, who suffered from eating disorders wrote on his blog: 'The science of eating disorders is firm. They are biologically based and not a choice. Simply feeding “anorexia girl” isn’t going to cure anything; 'Eating Disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness.

'Games such as this play into stereotypes and stigma which could cause someone not to seek help.'

SOURCE

Someone should tell the critics it's just a game