Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios
An ominous part of social media apps like TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram is the proliferation of beauty filters, which subtly and realistically make you look more attractive.
- Think fuller lips, thinner faces, lighter eyes and even the appearance of makeup.
Why it matters: These filters promote a certain beauty standard — and can quickly erode someone's sense of self-worth and confidence, especially when it comes to young people.
Case in point: Beauty filters are usually a choice — users can switch them on and off. But a recent bug on TikTok left users stuck on a beautifying effect, MIT Tech Review senior editor Abby Ohlheiser reports.
- The filter, which couldn't be switched off for some days, was forcibly altering people's appearances when they made videos. TikTok eventually addressed the bug.
- But, as Ohlheiser notes, even a temporary glitch can cause great psychological harm when an app has 1 billion users.
The big picture: If someone looks even a few percentage points better, they can get hooked on apps and filters, experts say.