TikTok Announces Plan to Block Some Beauty Filters for Minors

TikTok volition soon artifact anyone nether 18 years aged from utilizing filters connected the societal media level that dramatically change their facial features, according to a property release. Filters that change a person’s quality successful ways similar giving fuller lips oregon larger eyes volition nary longer beryllium accessible to minors but comic filters that adhd things similar bunny ears volition reportedly beryllium acceptable.

The alteration volition beryllium rolled retired globally successful the adjacent fewer weeks, according to a TikTok property release, and stems from concerns astir the intelligence wellness of minors connected the internet. Kids who’ve utilized facial “beauty” features tin study feelings of slump and anxiousness astir their quality and there’s increasing interest astir however societal media whitethorn beryllium altering the intelligence wellness of kids astir the world.

Questions emailed to TikTok astir which filters specifically volition beryllium constricted to adults did not person a response, but the Guardian reports a filter similar Bold Glamour volition beryllium unavailable to kids. The filter was introduced successful aboriginal 2023 and became arguable for creating unrealistic quality standards, according to NPR. Filters that lone use constitution but don’t marque what look similar structural changes to a person’s look volition inactive beryllium allowed for teens, according to the quality outlet.

The announcement is portion of a crackdown connected kids nether the property of 13 utilizing societal media, which TikTok says it’s trying to stop. The 1-billion-user societal media level has a minimum property request of 13, which is beauteous modular successful the U.S. for akin tech. The institution has besides announced a program to utilize artificial quality to marque definite kids nether 13 aren’t utilizing TikTok.

“This exertion volition assistance observe accounts that whitethorn beryllium to idiosyncratic nether 13 truthful that a specially trained moderator tin reappraisal the relationship and region it if they judge idiosyncratic doesn’t conscionable our minimum age,” TikTok said successful a statement. “Like today, radical volition beryllium capable to entreaty if they deliberation we’ve made a mistake.”

The changes travel arsenic the destiny of TikTok inactive remains unclear successful the U.S., arsenic erstwhile and aboriginal president Donald Trump prepares to instrumentality bureau connected Jan. 20, 2025. Trump had antecedently railed against TikTok’s genitor institution ByteDance for being based successful China, adjacent going truthful acold arsenic to motion an enforcement bid to unit the institution to divest oregon beryllium banned successful the U.S. But that bid was challenged successful tribunal and dropped by the Biden medication earlier a caller instrumentality banning the tract was passed.

Now, cipher knows what volition hap since Trump himself has pulled a 180 and present supports TikTok being allowed to run successful the country. Trump insists it’s each astir contention with societal media platforms similar Facebook, but there’s tenable speculation it mightiness person much to bash with a Republican megadonor having a immense involvement successful ByteDance. It looks similar we’ll find retired soon.