'Beauty filters' make young people feel self-conscious

Studies show that many young people are increasingly self-conscious about their appearance because filters constantly change their faces in a cosmetically-induced way.

With just a tap of the 'Glossy Babe' filter , the teenage girl's face was slightly elongated, her nose was slimmer and a dusting of freckles spread across her cheeks. Next, the 'Glow Makeup' filter erased any imperfections on her skin, plumped her lips and lengthened her lashes beyond what makeup could have done. With a third tap, her face returned to reality.

Hundreds of millions of people are now using beauty filters to change their appearance on apps like Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok . This week, TikTok announced new restrictions on children's access worldwide to filters that mimic the effects of plastic surgery.

Snapchat beauty filters (from left to right): original, Glossy Babe, Glow Makeup, and Eyelenses.

The new rules come after a survey of nearly 200 teenagers and their parents in the UK, US and other countries found that girls were 'more likely to feel self-conscious' when using social media.

There are growing concerns about the impact of technology on mental health, and it's no small issue: TikTok alone has around 1 billion users. A forthcoming study by Sonia Livingstone, a professor of social psychology at the London School of Economics, argues that the social pressures generated by edited images on social media may be even more detrimental to mental health than witnessing violence.

Hundreds of millions of people use beauty filters every day – with features such as reshaping noses, whitening teeth and enlarging eyes. Dr Claire Pescott, a lecturer at the University of South Wales, who studied children aged 10 and 11, agrees that the impact of social comparison is alarming. In the study, one child, unhappy with her appearance, told Ms Pescott: 'I wish I was wearing a filter right now.'

'Education focuses on how to use the internet safely and avoid being scammed or exploited. But the reality is that the danger lies within us. Comparing ourselves to others has a big emotional impact,' she said.

TikTok effect filters (from left to right): original, Bold Glamour, BW x Drama Lashes, and Roblox Makeup.

However, some people object to the restrictions on beauty effects – which they see as part of their online identity. Olga Isupova, a Russian artist based in Greece who designs filters, said the moves were 'absurd'. She added that having a second face was essential to being 'multifaceted' in the digital age.

'A person can live their normal life, but that life online will look different. That's why we need a facelift for our social media accounts. For many people, social media is a very competitive arena. For them, it is not just for entertainment but also a place to enhance their life, to earn money for the future,' she said.

TikTok's age restrictions on some beauty filters are unlikely to solve the problem quickly. According to the UK's communications regulator Ofcom, one in five people aged 8 to 16 falsely claim to be over 18 on social apps. Tighter age verification rules won't come into effect until next year.

There have been a number of studies that have highlighted the risks of beauty filters for teenagers. Last month, a small study of schoolgirls using Snapchat in Delhi, India, found that most had 'low self-esteem, feeling helpless when comparing their natural appearance to their edited images' . A 2022 survey of the views of more than 300 Belgian teenagers found that using face filters made them consider cosmetic surgery.

'Some children are resilient and reject these images, but more vulnerable children tend to feel bad when they see it. We have a lot of evidence that teenage girls are more likely to feel bad about their appearance ,' said Ms Livingstone.

Jeremy Bailenson, founding director of the Stanford University Virtual Interaction Lab, said the social and psychological consequences of extreme beauty filters now require more experimental research. ' There needs to be a balance between regulation and health concerns. Even small changes to virtual avatars can quickly become tools we rely on, such as the 'beautify' feature on Zoom and other online work platforms ,' he said.

Meta, which runs Instagram, says it walks a fine line between safety and personal expression with its filters. It has consulted with mental health experts and banned filters that directly encourage cosmetic surgery — for example, by projecting surgical lines onto users' faces or advertising procedures.

Meanwhile, TikTok said there is a clear distinction between effects like animal ear filters and filters designed to alter appearance, and that teens and parents have raised concerns about appearance effects. It also said it would work to raise awareness among filter designers 'about some of the unintended consequences that certain effects can cause' .