TikTok applies filters to beautify users without their permission

“This is not my face” Instagram influencer and TikTok user Tori Dawn said in a video posted on the social network on May 29. In the second, we see him pass his hand in front of his face and then his shape changes. But, young American did not enable any filters to achieve this effect. “As long as I look like this, I won’t feel comfortable making videos here. I don’t know how to disable this! ».

She also did not give TikTok permission to edit her face in this way. Quickly, the suspicions of his followers and other users who repeated his video intensified. the practice’s desire to “decorate” them. The filter refines faces, redrawing features to make them softer, camouflaging flaws… In a short time, hundreds of videos proving this phenomenon were published on the social network.

@toridawn817Congratulations tiktok, whatever this nonsense is, I’m very uncomfortable and unhappy now.

♬ original audio—Tori Dawn

TikTok reluctantly acknowledges filter’s existence

Tori Dawn searched the app settings but nothing happened: Couldn’t find any mention of this filter anywhere. However, the most downloaded app of May 2021 offers a range of applications ranging from the most eccentric to the simple correction of physical “imperfections”. “My face is very androgynous and I love my jawline. So when I saw the effect come and go, I thought to myself “why would they do that?” I said. This is one of the only things I love about my face. Why ? »Tori Dawn explains in an interview with MIT Technology Review:

The influencer, who is committed to the issue of mental health, draws attention to the risks that this type of practice poses, especially among the young population and TikTok fans at large. prone to psychological disorders. After doing some research, journalist Abby Olheiser discovered that the Chinese version of the app applied the same filter to users’ videos. Therefore, the company may have made the following decision: distribute to users around the world. As a result, the distribution encountered some obstacles.

“I understand the impact only affects Android phones”says Abby Ohlheiser, who conducted her little study. “I contacted TikTok and it finally wore off after two days. The company later issued a brief statement acknowledging the issue had been resolved but did not provide further details.