Shortly after its release, TikTok removed the new “chubby filter”, which users claimed to promote body shaming.

TikTokers uploaded pictures of themselves, which were edited by AI to make them look more chubby. While some were curious about how their bodies would look like if they put on weight, many were outraged by the new feature.

The reason is rather straightforward – the filter contributed to an unhealthy diet culture, potentially leading to the development of serious eating disorders.

TikTok emerged in 2018 and has quickly become one of the most popular social media platforms worldwide, known for its short video content. The platform’s primary audience is young people, a third of whom are adolescents. This is where the “chubby filter” came with a risk, as it is during adolescence when people are most prone to question their physical appearance.

TikTok offers multiple other AI-powered filters that users can try for fun. But unlike in case of the chubby filter, seeing oneself as a Lego or a bunny character is not harmful.

BBC reached out to multiple TikTok users to discuss their experience with the new feature. Their reactions were negative.

Nina viewed the filter as a step backward. She said she believed that social media was finally succeeding in stopping the online narrative that physical appearance dictates self-worth. She thought the new filter was “insensitive and immoral”.

Emma shared the opinion. As a chubby woman, she found it awful to read the body-shaming comments saying the women in the “after” photos looked disgusting.

Many TikTokers have criticized the filter. After the BBC release, TikTok reacted and removed the filter.

One of the people who reported the filter was 29-year-old Sadie, with over 65,000 followers. She was happy the filter was removed from the platform, saying “social media should be a fun, lighthearted place, not somewhere where you get bullied for how you look” (BBC).

Other potentially harmful trends on social media

Social media negatively affects social, physical, and mental health. Terms like self-objectification, unrealistic body ideals, and body shaming, are all associated with these online spaces and lead to a negative body image.

In worse cases, they result in developing eating disorders or deteriorate already existing mental health problems.

TikTok’s algorithm is designed in a way that it’s easy for young users to encounter toxic content. BBC’s reporter Jessica Sherwood tested the platform. In spite of the fact that she did not interact with any weight-loss or other problem body-image content, the algorithm suggested the chubby filter videos to her. Luckily, she also encountered videos in which creators criticized the filter, claiming it supported body shaming.

But the removal of the chubby filter won’t resolve all potential threats to adolescents on social media. According to research, fitness-focused content is prone to encourage the development of eating disorders. Much like responsible gambling or drinking, it should be consumed with caution, if at all.

“Thinspiration” and “fitspiration” are types of TikTok content that promote specific ideals of body image.

Thinspiration is content focused on highlighting the thin body type as the ideal one. Often such posts are masquerading as lifestyle posts, while glamorizing extremely thin bodies and promote anorexia and bulimia. This content can perpetuate harmful beauty standards and encourage dangerous behaviors in teenagers striving to achieve unrealistic ideals.

While thinspiration focuses mostly on girls, fitspiration also targets men. These posts promote a healthy lifestyle, emphasizing strict diets, intense exercise routines, and idolizing muscular body types. This leads to male and female adolescents feeling dissatisfied with their body shapes.

Such trends can be very dangerous, especially when promoted on a platform used by teenagers. Not only do they contribute to the emerging cases of eating disorders, but they are worsening the condition of people who already have the disorder.

But TikTok is not the only platform that must cope with the latest technology and trends. Earlier this year, Meta removed all AR filters on WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger. The company did so in response to concerns about users’ wellbeing. Research indicates that young women, in particular, are affected, with their mental health deteriorating due to the impact of filters.

On the other side of the rope is the “body positive” content. This includes posts that appreciate bodies in all shapes and forms, and motivate users to accept their physical appearance. It tends to focus more on function and health of one’s body. This is a positive trend that can connect people to build a community where people can relate.