SINGAPORE: Teenagers on TikTok will soon be blocked from using beauty filters on the app, with the social media giant moving to roll out the policy globally.
This means filters such as those that plump lips, slim faces and smoothen skin will be off the table for those under the age of 18.
In an update following its European Safety Forum, TikTok said on Wednesday (Nov 27) that the change in policy will be rolled out in the coming weeks.
In addition to the ban, the platform will also “provide more information about how an effect might change their appearance if applied”.
“This is in addition to already proactively letting users know when certain effects have been used on content,” TikTok said.
The platform will also refresh its resources for people developing filters to enhance awareness and understanding of some of the unintended outcomes that certain effects may pose.
An example of a filter that would fall under the restriction is WOW EYELASHES, a beauty effect that enhances the appearance of the user’s eyes.
Filters designed to be “obvious and funny” such as animal ear effects will remain available for teens as they are distinct from beauty filters.
FEEDBACK BY TEENS
The age-restriction policy for these beauty filters was introduced based on feedback from teenagers in a recently commissioned multi-market research with the United Kingdom’s not-for-profit organisation Internet Matters, TikTok said.
The research examined the role of online platforms in shaping teens’ identity and relationships and involved young people and parents from Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and the UK.
The report published on Wednesday identified new insights about teens’ use of filters and the impact this has on their sense of self.
“Specifically, teens and parents raised concerns about ‘appearance’ effects, including that those viewing the content might not realise it had been altered,” TikTok said.
According to the report, young people and parents also saw the benefit of being authentic online and recognised the positive impact of belonging and connection online.
BROADER PUSH TO PROTECT YOUNG USERS
TikTok also said in its update on Wednesday that it currently requires users to be at least 13 years old and “proactively” enforces this.
Measures include restricting the user’s ability to create another account with a different date of birth if they fail age verification and using technology to flag accounts suspected of belonging to users under 13.
The platform said it removes around 6 million accounts globally every month for failing to meet its age requirement.
TikTok’s move comes as governments worldwide tighten regulations on social media access for young people.
Australia on Thursday passed a law banning children under 16 from using platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook.
These tech giants will have to stop minors from logging in or face fines of up to A$49.5 million (US$32 million). A trial of methods to enforce it will start in January with the ban to take effect in a year.
Other countries, including France and some US states, have also passed laws to restrict access for minors without a parent’s permission.
Meta also announced in August that third-party augmented reality (AR) filters will no longer be available on its apps as of January 2025.
This means more than 2 million user-made filters offered across WhatsApp, Facebook and, most notably, Instagram will disappear.