An influencer who is reportedly raking in six figures monthly by leading a social media group for extreme diets is facing scrutiny and restrictions on monetizing via Meta.
Liv Schmidt, a 23-year-old New York City-based model, is being met with major backlash after building a lucrative online empire based on extreme dieting, as reported by The Cut’s E.J. Dickson.
Through her subscription-only Instagram group, the “Skinni Sociéte,” Schmidt earns an estimated $130,000 per month by promoting a version of “clean eating” to its 6,500 paying subscribers, according to Air Mail.
Many of the members are allegedly teenagers despite the group’s 18-plus policy.
Following the publication of The Cut’s report, Meta spokesperson Andy Stone announced restrictions to Schmidt’s account.
“This account is no longer able to offer subscriptions or use any of our monetization tools. And we restricted it so it’s only visible to people over 18,” Stone tweeted on Friday (May 23).
Schmidt’s group, which was described by former subscribers as a “little cult of being skinny," charged $20 monthly for access to exclusive content, including meal diaries, workout routines, and “Skinni Secrets” shared via group chats.
One of the troubling reports about the group described members competing with each other to see who can eat the least or walk the most, sometimes by logging over 27,000 steps in a day or sharing food logs with reportedly less than 1,000 calories.
Reports of dizziness, hair loss, and missed periods are allegedly common.
“None of the members in the group said, ‘Maybe you should chill out,’” said a 37-year-old former member using the pseudonym “Emma.” “They just recommended hair vitamins to each other.”
Despite claiming she doesn’t promote disordered eating, Schmidt would supposedly encourage members with messages like, “You’re not restricting. You’re ‘regulating.’ It’s chic.”
In another post, Schmidt reportedly told her followers to “eat like your next weigh-in is tomorrow,” and scolded other women for “hiding” behind sundresses to cover their “puffy face and bloated bodies.”
“It feels like everyone is enabling each other’s eating disorders,” said another former member, 20-year-old “Annie," who was in recovery for anorexia.
“It was extremely competitive—who could eat less, who weighed less, who was living the most ‘skinni’ lifestyle,” she added.
Schmidt was banned from TikTok last fall after The Wall Street Journal asked the platform for comment on a story about her, but the setback has apparently only fueled her popularity and helped her land a glowing profile in conservative magazine Evie.
Schmidt is seemingly still expanding her reach with ambassador programs, gift cards, and “candlelit Pilates” experiences for those who promote the group.