Summarised by Centrist
TikTok is restricting beauty filters for users under 18 after a report revealed their impact on teen mental health. These filters are used to enhance or alter a person’s appearance in photos and videos. These filters are powered by augmented reality (AR) technology and can apply changes in real-time or to uploaded content.
Christine Grahn, TikTok’s head of public policy in Europe, announced the changes on 26 November, citing findings from Internet Matters, a UK non-profit. “The report identified new insights about teens’ use of effects and the impact this has on their sense of self,” Grahn said.
The report showed teens and parents want clearer labels on filtered images to address anxiety and self-esteem issues.
Beauty filters were flagged as a source of harmful standards. Teens drew distinctions between humorous effects, like animal ears, and appearance-focused filters, which can mislead viewers.
Parents and young users expressed concerns about how these effects skew perceptions online.
In response, TikTok plans to label appearance-altering effects and provide guidance for creators using TikTok Effects House–a program designed to allow creators to design and develop custom augmented reality (AR) effects for use within the platform.
This aims to mitigate “unintended outcomes that certain effects may pose.” While TikTok hasn’t set a timeline, the move follows increasing scrutiny of social media’s mental health impact.
