Selfie Beauty Filters Face Legal Action for Harming Mental Health

In early March, two new TikTok filters generated quite a sensation. The “Teenage Look” filter uses artificial intelligence to make people look younger, while the Bold Glamour filter alters the face according to idealised beauty standards, giving it larger lips, brighter eyes, a thinner nose, and immaculate skin.

Previously, changes were exposed by glitches that happened when individuals moved their heads swiftly or waved a hand in front of their faces. However, the most recent new filters appear to be bug-free.

These filters also promote a standard beauty ideal by lightening dark skin, making white skin appear rosier, and narrowing large noses. “This aesthetic appeal is definitely problematic to see because many stereotypes are condensed in the filters,” said Katja Gunkel, a cultural studies professor specialising in digital culture and consumer aesthetics at Goethe University in Frankfurt.

She went on to say that while the technology is new, the clichés about the many tasks it fulfils are out of date. “There are many highly problematic filters available for everyone, and, of course, there’s also an enormous pressure to conform that goes along with this,” she explained.

Dysmorphia and depression

These apps have the potential to have major psychological implications for users. According to a British YMCA survey, two-thirds of young people feel pressured by beauty standards on social media. Another survey conducted by the British youth organisation Girlguiding found that roughly one-third of all females aged 11 to 21 would no longer publish an unedited photo of themselves.

“It’s a game with the devil,” said Silvi Carlsson, a German YouTuber who speaks out against cosmetic filters in her videos. “We get positive feedback in the form of hearts and likes as soon as we appear publicly with the filters.” We feel appreciated, and the dopamine starts flowing.”

But what happens when people walk out in public without filters, exposing their pimples, pigmentation spots, or dark under-eye circles? “We’re trained by social media to present a perfect self to the outside world,” Carlsson added. “It shatters us.”

The ensuing medical issue is now known as selfie or Snapchat dysmorphia. The more filtered selfies become the standard, the lower many people’s self-esteem. According to the scientific publication JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery, the sense of failing to meet the expectations of these aesthetic norms might potentially provoke despair.

But what happens when people go out in public without their makeup on, exposing their pimples, pigmentation patches, or dark under-eye circles? “We’re trained by social media to present a perfect self to the outside world,” Carlsson continued. “It shatters us.

The resulting medical condition is known as selfie or Snapchat dysmorphia. Many people’s self-esteem suffers when filtered selfies become the norm. According to the scientific journal JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery, the feeling of failure to achieve certain aesthetic criteria can lead to depression.

After all, this entire machine depends on a sense of lack that should never be satisfied so that consumption can continue,” Gunkel explained. “Therefore, the task can only be: How can users gain a certain resilience and confidence in dealing with these images?”