There are filters for all tastes, but almost all of them have something in common: they alter reality and perfect our face in a matter of seconds, a change that is not without controversy due to the distortion it generates in the image. But never have you seen such an exaggerated change as when you apply Bold Glamour, TikTok’s latest beauty filter.
This new filter has not gone unnoticed among the users of the platform, who point out the incredible change in their faces when they use it. The appearance changes completely: from a natural image, to a fully made-up, illuminated and outlined face. “This filter should be illegal,” one of them comments in the video.
The controversy has not been long in coming. Some criticize that it reinforces beauty stereotypes and the psychological impact it will have on younger audiences.
In addition, it stands out for its technical characteristics. “I have to tell you that it is impressive to see how robust this filter is, where a hand in front of the camera or hair no longer breaks the illusion as it used to. Today they are makeup filters, tomorrow it will be any face you want”, explains the artificial intelligence (AI) popularizer, Carlos Santana. No movement alters the created image. The distortion holds up perfectly.
Social network filters are not exempt from criticism, because many of them reinforce beauty stereotypes and can have a significant psychological impact among users, affecting body image.
There are multiple investigations that reinforce this idea. According to a study published in the Psychology of Popular Media, teens and young adults who reduce their use of social media by 50% for just a few weeks see a significant improvement in how they feel about their weight and appearance. compared to their peers who maintained constant levels of utilization.
The participants, aged 17 to 25 (76% female), had to be regular users of social media (at least two hours a day on their smartphones) and display symptoms of depression or anxiety. Compared to participants who had unlimited access, participants who restricted their use showed improvements in how they viewed their overall appearance (but not their weight) after three weeks.
Specialists also warn of the emergence of a new phenomenon known as body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). These people are preoccupied with perceived flaws in their appearance that they see as ugly or abnormal (but that other people see as minor or non-existent), to the point of experiencing significant distress or impaired psychosocial functioning.
“These responses include repetitive behaviors to check, fix, get reassurance or hide disliked areas of the body, as well as avoiding social situations,” warn the authors of the Core Clinical Features of Body Dysmorphic Disorder study from the University of Oxford.
