TikTok to Implement Age Restrictions on Beauty Filters

Improve the News Foundation -

Facts

  • Social media giant TikTok will, over the next few weeks, ban those aged under 18 from using certain filters that alter users' facial features.[1][2]
  • Features that will be banned, like 'Bold Glamour,' make users' eyes appear larger, enhances lips, and alters skin tone and texture.[3][4]
  • This comes as leaked documents allegedly suggest that the platform, which has over 1B monthly users globally, actively promotes people it deems "beautiful" and minimizes the visibility of others. TikTok has denied such allegations.[5][6]
  • On Oct 8., 13 US states and Washington DC sued TikTok for allegedly harming children and deliberately making its app addicting. Meanwhile, Australia plans to ban those under the age of 16 from social media apps including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and X.[7][8]
  • TikTok has recently introduced new “guardrails” on beauty filters and age verification, and has decided to block under-13s entirely from the platform.[2][3]

Sources: [1]Koha, [2]Hypertext, [3]The Guardian, [4]UNN, [5]UNILAD, [6]Sky News, [7]The New York Times and [8]Fast Company.

Narratives

  • Narrative A, as provided by Wayland Student Press Network and NPR Online News. TikTok has cultivated a digital ecosystem that preys on the vulnerabilities of its youngest users. Its addictive algorithm traps teens in polarized echo chambers. Harmful beauty norms are amplified, damaging children's self-esteem, while underage users face exploitation through live-streaming features. TikTok's true priority remains maximizing engagement rather than user well-being.
  • Narrative B, as provided by The Verge and The New York Times. Blaming TikTok for teenagers' mental health challenges overlooks broader societal dynamics while unfairly targeting a single platform. Social media, including TikTok, mirrors existing societal discontent and amplifies public sentiment, but it does not operate in a vacuum. Politicians' fixation on TikTok deflects attention from systemic issues. This scapegoating distracts from meaningful oversight and regulation that could address the broader challenges of digital spaces.

Predictions