TikTok removes beauty filters for young users to cultivate healthier self-image

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TikTok is putting a mirror up to its beauty filters and seeing them for what they are, especially for more impressionable minds. In an effort to address concerns about the impact of appearance-altering filters on young people’s mental health, TikTok is rolling out age restrictions on certain beauty filters for users under 18. This move comes as scrutiny grows over how these filters contribute to unrealistic beauty standards among teenagers.

 

The platform will soon limit access to filters that significantly change one’s appearance, such as smoothing skin or slimming facial features. On the lighter side, playful filters that add animal ears or humorous effects will still be available.

 

These changes are part of TikTok’s broader plan to improve the safety and well-being of its younger audience. Christine Grahn, TikTok’s Head of Public Policy, highlighted that the initiative aims to make the app a safer space for young people.

 

The company is also introducing new requirements for filters to include more transparency on how they alter someone’s appearance. This means users will soon be able to better understand what’s real and what’s been tweaked.

 

TikTok is also stepping up efforts to detect and ban underage users. The platform already removes millions of accounts each month for suspected age violations, but now it’s exploring new ways to use machine learning to help identify these accounts more effectively. Once flagged by the algorithm, a moderator will confirm whether the account belongs to an underage user. This development comes amid growing concern from regulators and child safety advocates about how social media impacts young users’ mental health.

 

The move to restrict beauty filters will be welcomed by advocates who believe these tools can distort young people’s perception of beauty, potentially leading to anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. 

 

Whether it’s enough to counteract the effects of altered imagery remains to be seen, but for now, it is hoped that these changes will bring a bit more reality back to the screen. TikTok’s changes are set to roll out in the UK first, with other regions to follow in the coming weeks.

 

• https://www.pocket-lint.com/tiktok-will-soon-restrict-appearance-effects-for-younger-users/ 
• https://techcrunch.com/2024/11/27/tiktok-will-restrict-some-beauty-filters-for-people-under-18/ 
• https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/tiktok-changing-who-can-use-beauty-filters-here-is-whats-happening/ 
• https://www.phonearena.com/news/tiktok-restrict-beauty-filters-for-teens_id165297 
• https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2024/nov/26/tiktok-to-block-teenagers-from-beauty-filters-over-mental-health-concerns 

 

Image: Volodymyr Melnyk and Lehuishi | Dreamstime.com