{"id":570,"date":"2025-03-21T16:12:28","date_gmt":"2025-03-21T17:12:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.troop956.com\/?p=570"},"modified":"2025-04-17T19:25:26","modified_gmt":"2025-04-17T19:25:26","slug":"tiktoks-latest-toxic-filter-has-been-banned-but-what-caused-people-to-use-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.troop956.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 \u2018chubby filter,\u2019 but we\u2019ve 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\u2019s not always a good thing.<\/p>\n

Enter the \u2018chubby filter,\u2019<\/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\u2019 photos to alter their appearance, provoking shocked reactions and even mockery as individuals breathed sighs of relief thinking, \u2018Thank God I don\u2019t look like that.\u2019<\/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\u2019ve 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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\n\t\t\"chubby\t<\/div>
The frighteningly realistic trend saw users\u2019 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\u00a0expresses her concern to Metro<\/strong> that those with online profiles are now hyper-aware of how they look.<\/p>\n

\u2018I think people are drawn to these filters because it\u2019s such an easy way of seeing a different version of themselves. They\u2019re intrigued, but I don\u2019t think they\u2019re fully aware of the short or longer-term effects of using them.\u2019<\/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

\u2018That\u2019s just part of why such filters are dangerous when in the wrong hands, especially when it\u2019s impossible to fully police what young, impressionable people have access to online,\u2019 Thorrun shares.<\/p>\n

\u2018These filters are likely to be particularly harmful for those who have body image concerns and those with eating disorders<\/a>.\u2019<\/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 \u2013 Riley2612<\/a> <\/section>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

However, it\u2019s not just people whose brains are already susceptible to such toxic messaging that we must keep an eye on.<\/p>\n

\u2018In general, being bombarded with content constantly showing weight transformations and focusing on size can harm anyone,\u2019 she says.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s 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\u2019ve all seen the \u2018What I Eat in a Day\u2019 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 \u2018misused to mock or misrepresent individuals and reinforce harmful stereotypes\u2019.<\/p>\n

This can affect how those in different bodies are treated offline<\/em>, a point only illustrated by the release of Netflix\u2019s latest smash hit drama, Adolescence<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u2018In 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,\u2019 she says, as TikTok users see a before and after image and tell themselves, \u2018Well, it could be worse, I could look like her\u2026\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018More broadly, these transformation filters can lead to a disconnect between a person\u2019s real and perceived self. This can increase distress<\/a> when they see their actual reflection,\u2019 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\u2019s 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\u2019s now impossible to police what young people are accessing online (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018It\u2019s 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,\u2019 she stresses.<\/p>\n

\u2018On 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.\u2019<\/p>\n

Similarly, TikTok lately has been overrun by the use of a \u2018skinny\u2019 filter, which, you guessed it, shows users how they would look if they were considerably thinner.<\/p>\n

Thorrun fears this can distort people\u2019s 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 \u2018chubby filter\u2019 has been removed?<\/span><\/span><a class=\"metro-comment-cta__button\" href=\"#metro-comments-container\">Comment Now<\/a><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p>\u2018But they\u2019re not. These transformations take time and require support. They also need to be done in a healthy manner, and I don\u2019t think these filters represent that in any way.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018Such filters are an unrealistic expectation of weight loss, which certainly doesn\u2019t happen in a second, and they promote a \u201cquick fix\u201d 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\u2019s what they want.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>She also believes there\u2019s a risk of people using these filters for the wrong reasons and creating \u2018fake success stories\u2019 in which they lie about how their goals were met.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018It is so dangerous. People need to realise that weight management is a slow approach and it can\u2019t be done overnight.\u2019<\/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 \u2018chubby filter,\u2019 but we\u2019ve only scratched the surface of the problem (Picture: Getty Images) Filters have come a long way […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":572,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[11],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.troop956.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/570"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.troop956.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.troop956.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.troop956.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.troop956.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=570"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/www.troop956.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/570\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":577,"href":"http:\/\/www.troop956.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/570\/revisions\/577"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.troop956.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/572"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.troop956.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=570"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.troop956.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=570"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.troop956.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=570"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}