TikTok has released a new filter that transforms you into a teenage version of yourself and it has been creating a great cause for concern among users.
@uhhhuhhunney Lived in the past for about 30 seconds or less. To think about the last time i looked so young and what i had endured up to that point. It seemed like my smile never lost its life but that sparkle in the eye had already been gone for so long. 20 years past and even more endured i wonder what will be in 20 more years. #teenagers #teenagefilter #teenagelookfilter #teenagerfilter #abuse #domesticviolence #death #surviving ♬ The Freshmen - The Verve Pipe
If you've been on any social media app it's hard not to notice that filters have become the digitized version of makeup. Images can be enhanced in a myriad of ways to represent any type of beauty that the user (or its followers) beholds. You can change the colour of your hair and eyes, even out your skin texture or change your skin tone altogether. Throw in photoshopping and you end up with a concoction of changes that can range from the size of your waist to the structure of your face.
What these tools also create is a naturally unattainable but overwhelmingly sought after standard of beauty. These digital images have a significant impact on the way people perceive beauty in the outside world. There can be a sense of personal inadequacy or insecurity when people go online and see that so many people look flawless in their pictures, not realizing that it may not be a true representation of how they actually look in real life. Even people that swear by filters may start to experience low self esteem for not being able to match the online version of their perceived beauty.
Some influencers are ditching the filters to show a more realistic presence of themselves on social media as a way to combat the body issues that can come with using them.
Ozempic, a drug to treat diabetes, has been in high demand for its ability to quickly shed unwanted weight.
Influencer Shell Johnson (@lovewithshell) has dedicated her page to remind people that natural beauty can be still appreciated without the added pressures of being social media beautiful.
Studies have shown that teenagers have become negatively affected by these filters as they constantly compare themselves to others online, increasing the risk of body dysmorphia. Plastic surgery procedures have also skyrocketed as people attempt to mimic the digitized versions of beauty.
Filters are still added even after makeup is applied to attain that flawless look.
Filters can be a fun way to imagine a different look without the permanence of making a physical commitment but it can also create harmful stereotypes about beauty and negatively impact one's self-esteem and mental health.
It's important to love the skin you're in and not be too preoccupied with the fantasy world that social media can create around you when using social media filters.
Cover Image: @klaramcdonnell