{"id":1112,"date":"2025-03-21T16:12:28","date_gmt":"2025-03-21T17:12:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/?p=1112"},"modified":"2025-03-26T21:34:31","modified_gmt":"2025-03-26T21:34:31","slug":"tiktoks-latest-toxic-filter-has-been-banned-but-what-caused-people-to-use-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/2025\/03\/21\/tiktoks-latest-toxic-filter-has-been-banned-but-what-caused-people-to-use-it\/","title":{"rendered":"TikTok\u2019s latest toxic filter has been banned \u2014 but what\u00a0caused\u00a0people to use it?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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TikTok may have banned the ‘chubby filter,’ but we’ve only scratched the surface of the problem (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Filters have come a long way from the days when puppy dog ears trended\u2014and that’s not always a good thing.<\/p>\n

Enter the ‘chubby filter,’<\/a> a form of artificial intelligence (AI) that thousands of TikTokers recently used to see how they would look if they put on weight.<\/p>\n

The frighteningly realistic filter<\/a> warped users’ photos to alter their appearance, provoking shocked reactions and even mockery as individuals breathed sighs of relief thinking, ‘Thank God I don’t look like that.’<\/p>\n

Following immense backlash and criticism of how the filter enabled diet culture to thrive, the social media<\/a> platform, which boasts over 1.5billion users globally, took it down, meaning it is no longer accessible.<\/p>\n

TikTok later explained that the filter had been uploaded by CapCut, which, while a separate app, still has the same parent company, ByteDance. CapCut is used by millions of TikTokers to create fun edits and montages. Basically, if you’ve seen a trending template or a cute mashup of clips to a popular song, it probably came from there.<\/p>\n

The app also vowed to review videos uploaded using the effect, blocking them from being viewed on teen accounts.<\/p>\n

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The frighteningly realistic trend saw users’ photos change into how they would look if they gained weight<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

But it still begs the question: why were people using the chubby filter in the first place?<\/p>\n

Healthcare expert and pharmacist Thorrun Govind expresses her concern to Metro<\/strong> that those with online profiles are now hyper-aware of how they look.<\/p>\n

‘I think people are drawn to these filters because it’s such an easy way of seeing a different version of themselves. They’re intrigued, but I don’t think they’re fully aware of the short or longer-term effects of using them.’<\/p>\n

Indeed, we live in a climate where body modification is pretty trendy. From non-invasive cosmetic procedures to fillers, Botox, and whacky gadgets\u2014you name it, someone on TikTok has played around with it.<\/p>\n

‘That’s just part of why such filters are dangerous when in the wrong hands, especially when it’s impossible to fully police what young, impressionable people have access to online,’ Thorrun shares.<\/p>\n

‘These filters are likely to be particularly harmful for those who have body image concerns and those with eating disorders<\/a>.’<\/p>\n

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@georgia_dan1<\/a> <\/p>\n

Us after saying yes to 1 sweet treat #sweettreat<\/a> #bestie<\/a> <\/p>\n

\u266c original sound – Riley2612<\/a> <\/section>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

However, it’s not just people whose brains are already susceptible to such toxic messaging that we must keep an eye on.<\/p>\n

‘In general, being bombarded with content constantly showing weight transformations and focusing on size can harm anyone,’ she says.<\/p>\n

It’s far from the first time this conversation has been had, nor will it be the last time body-positive influencers speak out against material that subliminally feeds into stereotypes around body image.<\/p>\n

In the early 2000s, we had reality shows like Supersize vs Superskinny, and in the 2010s there was pro-anorexia Tumblr, both of which not only normalised and promoted extreme thinness but deeply romanticised it before the eyes of children.<\/p>\n

Alas, in the years since, the demonisation of fatness<\/a> and glorification of emaciation has simply been repurposed and repackaged, now taking a new form on social media.<\/p>\n

We’ve all seen the ‘What I Eat in a Day’ videos subtly perpetuating the idea that eating less than 1,200 calories<\/a> is healthy, right?<\/p>\n

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Experts worry that such filters could lead to fixation with body image and severe mental health issues (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On what impact filters like the chubby one can have, Thorrun explains that they can be ‘misused to mock or misrepresent individuals and reinforce harmful stereotypes’.<\/p>\n

This can affect how those in different bodies are treated offline<\/em>, a point only illustrated by the release of Netflix’s latest smash hit drama, Adolescence<\/a>.<\/p>\n

‘In turn, this can lead to harassment or bullying, which then creates mental health consequences for those on the receiving end, such as stress, social anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem,’ she says, as TikTok users see a before and after image and tell themselves, ‘Well, it could be worse, I could look like her…’<\/p>\n

‘More broadly, these transformation filters can lead to a disconnect between a person’s real and perceived self. This can increase distress<\/a> when they see their actual reflection,’ she adds.<\/p>\n

In severe cases, this can escalate into body dysmorphic disorder, a debilitating mental health condition where a person spends a lot of time worrying about their appearance, to the extent that it interferes with daily life. <\/p>\n

While she emphatically believes it’s appropriate for the chubby filter to be removed, Thorrun agrees that we must be extra vigilant from all sides.<\/p>\n

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It’s now impossible to police what young people are accessing online (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

‘It’s not just a case of removing a filter\u2014there is a lot more work to be done when it comes to the stigma of weight management,’ she stresses.<\/p>\n

‘On various apps, we are still seeing a huge number of weight loss jabs<\/a> being advertised illegally, and all of the sites have questions to answer when it comes to body image and what they are allowing us to see.’<\/p>\n

Similarly, TikTok lately has been overrun by the use of a ‘skinny’ filter, which, you guessed it, shows users how they would look if they were considerably thinner.<\/p>\n

Thorrun fears this can distort people’s perceptions of the reality behind body transformations, implying they are quick and easy to do.<\/p>\n

\n
Comment now<\/title><span class=\"metro-comment-cta__text\">Are you glad the ‘chubby filter’ has been removed?<\/span><\/span><a class=\"metro-comment-cta__button\" href=\"#metro-comments-container\">Comment Now<\/a><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p>‘But they’re not. These transformations take time and require support. They also need to be done in a healthy manner, and I don’t think these filters represent that in any way.<\/p>\n<p>‘Such filters are an unrealistic expectation of weight loss, which certainly doesn’t happen in a second, and they promote a “quick fix” response to changing your body and managing your weight when we need to be encouraging people to view weight loss and gain in a sustained manner if that’s what they want.’<\/p>\n<p>She also believes there’s a risk of people using these filters for the wrong reasons and creating ‘fake success stories’ in which they lie about how their goals were met.<\/p>\n<p>‘It is so dangerous. People need to realise that weight management is a slow approach and it can’t be done overnight.’<\/p>\n<div class=\"factbox\" data-ico=\"factbox_article\" data-track-module=\"factbox_article\">\n<h2 class=\"factbox-title\">\n\t\t\t\tBEAT\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<div class=\"factbox-content\">\n<p>If you suspect you, a family member or friend has an eating disorder, contact <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Beat<\/a> on 0808 801 0677 or at\u00a0help@beateatingdisorders.org.uk, for information and advice on the best way to get appropriate treatment. For other helplines across the UK, visit <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk\/contact-us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a> for more information.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>TikTok may have banned the ‘chubby filter,’ but we’ve only scratched the surface of the problem (Picture: Getty Images) Filters have come a long way from the days when puppy dog ears trended\u2014and that’s not always a good thing. Enter the ‘chubby filter,’ a form of artificial intelligence (AI) that thousands of TikTokers recently used […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1114,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[9],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1112"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1112"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1112\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1119,"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1112\/revisions\/1119"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1114"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1112"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1112"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1112"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}