The social media platform TikTok has removed a filter that made users appear heavier, sparking discussions about body image.
Videos using this AI-powered filter typically followed a similar pattern. They started with an unfiltered image of a usually slim user, then the "weight-increasing" filter spread across the screen, altering their physical appearance. Meanwhile, American singer Doechii's song Anxiety played in the background.
As the filter gained popularity, concerns grew among users about its negative effects on body perception.
One social media user commented, "This trend has a mocking tone," a post that received over 5,000 likes.
Luna, an app providing health and wellness services for young people, also criticized the filter, arguing that it "negatively affects body perception and promotes unhealthy beauty standards."
TikTok did not respond to CNN's questions on the matter but told the BBC that it had removed the filter from the platform. The company also took additional measures to ensure videos featuring the filter would not appear in recommendations or on young users' accounts.
TikTok further stated that the filter was uploaded by CapCut, a subsidiary of ByteDance but a separate entity.
As of Monday morning, searching for the "weight-increasing filter" on TikTok's mobile app yielded no results, though some related content was still accessible on the desktop version.
TikTok offers hundreds of different filters, most of which are considered harmless, such as those adding bunny ears or a dog nose for fun. However, the platform's beauty filters frequently face criticism for their negative impact on users' self-esteem.
Experts argue that such filters idealize thinness and can make users feel inadequate. A TikTok user named SaffsStuff shared a video, viewed over 100,000 times, stating, "This isn't funny or something to be taken lightly. It's part of the growing diet culture on social media and the resurgence of the 'heroin chic' ultra-thin trend."
A 2019 study found that social media filters could increase interest in cosmetic surgery. Similarly, a 2021 Harvard Business Review study revealed that even individuals confident in their appearance could feel uncomfortable when their faces were digitally "enhanced."
Last November, following research on its impact on young users, TikTok announced that it had restricted access to beauty filters for users under 18.
