TikTok has announced plans to restrict access to certain beauty filters for users under 18, following concerns raised in a commissioned study about their impact on teenage self-esteem.
The update, shared at the company’s European Safety Forum, includes upcoming limits on “appearance effects” designed to protect young users from potential negative influences on their self-image.
This follows a study conducted with Internet Matters, a UK nonprofit, which examined how online platforms affect teenagers’ identity and relationships. The study highlighted concerns about how digital tools might shape self-perception and interpersonal interactions among young users.
The study, published on November 26, revealed insights from teenagers and parents about how TikTok’s tools, including beauty filters, influence online authenticity.
Many participants expressed concerns about the potential for such tools to distort self-perception and impact how users present themselves online.
“There was a consensus among teens and parents that beautifying filters contributed to a distorted worldview in which perfected images are normalized and authentic visual presentation is rarer,” the published study reads.
“There were some concerns that this negatively impacts both those using the filters and those viewing the images – the latter because they could not always tell that an image has been altered.”
TikTok highlighted the difference between playful filters, like animal ears, and those that alter physical features.
To address concerns about the latter’s impact on self-esteem and authenticity, the platform announced changes to limit access to appearance-altering filters for users under 18, aiming to reduce potential harm.
“Some appearance-altering filters will now be restricted for users under 18,” TikTok stated.
