A social media platform has announced it will restrict the use of beauty filters by teenagers due to concerns about their mental health, the Guardian reported recently.
The platform announced that in the next few weeks, under-18-year-olds will be banned from using technology to enlarge their eyes, lips, skin or change the color of their skin. These restrictions will apply to beauty filters, which can change a teenager’s appearance in a way that makeup alone can not. There had been widespread concern that beauty filters could put pressure on teenagers, especially girls. Cartoon filters that add rabbit ears or dog noses to human faces will not be affected, according to reports.
Under the UK’s Cyber Security Act, the use of social networking platforms by minors will be more tightly regulated in the UK by 2025. The Guardian said the new“Guardrails” around beauty filters were part of a new round of online security changes announced by social media platforms, which will be subject to tighter regulation in the coming months, violations of Internet security rules can result in heavy fines.
The National Society for the Prevention of child abuse (NSPCC) said the age protection initiative was“Encouraging” but such issues were“Just the tip of the iceberg”. Andy Burrows, chief executive of the Dave Morley Roth Foundation, said: “These changes are mainly aimed at compliance with EU and British regulations, which suggests tighter regulation, not less.”