There has been concern about the use of beauty filters on social media for some time now. This practice has been increasingly observed on the platforms, especially in recent years.
However, what appears to be something harmless, applied to photos and videos in order to “fix” some imperfections in appearance, can end up generating a huge problem in the way beauty and body image are viewed by people.
According to experts, one of the main problems brought about by the creation and excessive use of new beauty filters is the escape from reality.
When filters are able to make imperfections more discreet, faces thinner and lips fuller, a false image is created and then made available on the internet.
Consequently, when such images are seen by other people, a feeling of dissatisfaction with one’s own body begins to be established in the individual, making him believe that his body is inadequate, as it does not follow the “aesthetic standards” seen daily on social networks and in the media in general.
Censorship or an attempt to curb illusions?
Faced with a critical situation with wide repercussions, in which countless people have been affected, initiatives have emerged in several European countries with the aim of combating the persistence of this scenario and reducing the effects that can lead many to depression.
In this context, legislative measures are beginning to be adopted to reduce the use of beauty filters on digital platforms. France, in particular, stands out as an example in this regard, having drafted a specific bill focused on addressing this issue.
According to this legislation, digital influencers may be forced to pay a fine of approximately 300 thousand euros (a value that corresponds to around R$ 1.6 million at the current exchange rate) if they use retouched images and videos on social media.
If the individual does not have the resources to make the payment, another consequence imposed is the need to serve a six-month sentence in prison.
In other countries, such as Germany, although a specific law has not yet been implemented, the first steps towards restricting the use of filters on social networks can already be seen.
In an interview conducted by Deutsche Welleuniversity professor Katja Gunkel expressed her opinion on the implementation of a regulation in this area.
Read an excerpt mentioned by Gunkel:
“We are only talking about the commercial sector here. It would not be possible to use [a legislação] for selfies in the private sphere. How is this supposed to work? Who is going to control this? I would call this censorship.”
And you, what do you think about this issue?
