Los Angeles: TikTok has announced a new policy that will prohibit users under the age of 18 from using beauty filters that drastically alter their appearance. The platform will implement this restriction in the coming weeks as part of its ongoing efforts to address mental health concerns among younger users.
According to TikTok, the ban will apply specifically to filters that dramatically change a user’s physical features. However, filters intended solely for entertainment purposes, without altering one’s appearance, will not be affected by this policy.
The move aims to reduce the pressures faced by young people to conform to unrealistic beauty standards, which research has shown can contribute to mental health issues. TikTok made the announcement on its European Safety Forum, but it remains unclear whether this policy will be rolled out globally or remain specific to Europe for now.
Earlier, the child protection organization Internet Matters highlighted in a report that the use of beauty filters on social media has led to increased pressure on children to present themselves in a certain way online, potentially exacerbating mental health challenges.
In addition to the beauty filter ban, TikTok is also reviewing machine learning technologies that could help identify accounts belonging to children under the age of 13, further strengthening its efforts to safeguard younger users on the platform.
