TikTok’s filters can be a fun way to interact with the app, acting like digital face paint that can make you look like, for example, a clown or a tiger. But effects that aim to amplify a user’s beauty are a trickier subject, as TikTok itself is now acknowledging. Following over a dozen lawsuits that have targeted the platform over its effect on teens’ mental health, as well as research done in collaboration with the London-based Internet Matters non-profit, the company now says that “in the coming weeks,” users who are under the age of 18 won’t be able to use “certain appearance-altering effects.
” While the company says it won’t target effects “designed to be obvious or funny,” it will restrict effects “designed to alter your appearance,” with the goal being to ease concerns “that those viewing the content might not realize it had been altered.” In other words, teens on TikTok will still be able to wear digital animal ears to their heart’s content, but probably won’t be able to use beauty filters once these age gates are in place (goodbye, Bold Glamour). While the news was announced at the company’s European Safety Forum , TikTok Safety and Well-being Public Policy Lead For Europe Dr.
Nikki Soo told The Verge that the restrictions “will be rolled out globally.” The company will also work towards providing more information on the specific ways an effect might alter a user’s appearance, although it wasn’t stated whether the burden her.