Social media has evolved from playful dog lenses to transformative beauty filters, sparking concerns about their impact on mental health. TikTok, currently facing lawsuits in 14 U.S. states over its effects on young users’ well-being, has announced new measures to limit access to these filters for users under 18.
The platform revealed that “some appearance effects” will no longer be available to this age group, though the specifics remain unclear. TikTok also plans to enhance transparency by requiring filters to disclose the changes they make to a person’s appearance. Additionally, the company is updating its guidelines for creators in its Effects House, aiming to address the psychological effects certain filters may have—though the actual impact of these efforts is yet to be seen.
TikTok is also tackling the issue of underage accounts. The platform reportedly removes six million accounts monthly that it suspects belong to users under 13. To strengthen these efforts, TikTok is testing machine learning tools to identify such accounts, which will then be reviewed by moderators. This initiative will initially launch in the UK, while the new filter restrictions are expected to roll out globally in the coming months.
As TikTok implements these changes, the question remains: will these actions genuinely protect young users, or are they primarily aimed at improving the platform’s public image? Only time will tell.
