TikTok Bans Beauty Filters for Under-18s, Boosts Age Verification for Mental Health Safety

TikTok is set to implement a ban on beauty filters for users under 18, aiming to address growing concerns regarding the impact of these filters on mental health.

The restrictions will prevent teenagers from using filters that significantly alter their appearance, such as enlarging eyes, plumping lips, or smoothing skin tones. Filters that are intended for comedic purposes, like those adding animal ears or exaggerated features, will remain available.

This decision follows a report by Internet Matters, a children’s online safety non-profit, which highlighted that beauty filters contribute to unrealistic beauty standards and can distort self-image among young users.

Many teenagers reported feeling pressured to conform to these altered appearances, leading to negative self-perception and mental health issues.

In addition to banning beauty filters, TikTok is tightening its age verification processes to block users under 13. The platform plans to trial new machine learning systems aimed at detecting age misrepresentation before the end of the year.

Currently, TikTok removes around 20 million accounts quarterly for violating age policies.

These changes align with increasing scrutiny from regulators and the upcoming Online Safety Act in the UK, which mandates stricter age checks on social media platforms.