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Technology
25 March 2025

TikTok Pulls Controversial Chubby Filter Amid Backlash

Critics and users express concerns about body-shaming messages from AI filter.

TikTok has withdrawn a controversial filter that allowed users to alter their photos to make themselves look heavier. This decision comes after increasing backlash from users and critics who raised concerns about implicit body-shaming messages associated with the filter.

The “chubby filter,” as it is popularly known, became a trend on TikTok, where videos often began with an unedited photo of the user transforming into an altered version of themselves, while accompanied by the song “Anxiety” by American rapper Doechii. Observing the trend, many users expressed their dismay. One TikTok user commented that “this trend is mean girl coded,” which garnered over 5,000 likes, highlighting the widespread critical sentiment surrounding it.

Critics of the filter include TikTok users like sadiebass16, who stated in a video, “Imagine you’re just trying to exist on this app and you see thousands of people using an AI filter to have a body that looks like your body, shaming it and all the comments being like ‘ugh, imagine.’ A lot of people can imagine.” Such expressions illustrate the emotional toll the trend has taken on individuals who see their body types mocked.

Moreover, Luna, a health and wellbeing app aimed at teens, condemned the filter for promoting body shaming and unhealthy beauty standards. In light of mounting critiques, TikTok acknowledged its mistakes and responded accordingly. A representative from the company told the BBC that the filter had been removed from the app, and they would be reviewing all videos associated with it, making them ineligible for recommendations and blocking them from teen accounts.

A notable aspect of the situation is that the “chubby filter” was actually uploaded by CapCut, a company separate from TikTok but under the same parent company, ByteDance. This distinction adds layers to the accountability discussions regarding the filter's existence and usage.

Following TikTok’s actions, a search for the term “chubby filter” on the app revealed no results on mobile platforms, indicating its prompt removal from public access. However, some remnants were still visible on the desktop version, a reminder of how quickly trends can proliferate across different mediums.

While TikTok filters are often playful, such as adding bunny ears or dog noses, beauty filters have received ongoing criticism for their negative impact on users' self-esteem. For instance, some filters allow users to smooth out wrinkles, prompting debates about the acceptance of aging and contributing to ageist stereotypes. Critics argue that filters like the “chubby filter” reinforce the damaging link between beauty and thinness.

In an impactful video, a TikToker named SaffsStuff took a firm position against the “chubby filter,” stating, “I don’t think it’s funny, I don’t think it’s light-hearted. I think it’s part of this bigger problem of diet culture and heroin chic really becoming a proper, proper trend on social media at the moment.” Such statements resonate with a larger societal conversation about beauty standards and their portrayal in digital spaces.

Supporting the criticisms of filters, a 2019 study found a correlation between the use of social media filters and an increased acceptance of cosmetic surgery. Further research published in the Harvard Business Review in 2021 revealed that individuals with high confidence in their appearance may feel more unsettled after viewing “improvements” to their images compared to those who already struggle with body image issues. These findings underscore the potential psychological impact of incessantly comparing oneself to altered images.

This issue has developed alongside TikTok’s earlier announcement from November 2024, stating that children under the age of 18 would no longer have access to beauty filters. This decision followed a report commissioned by TikTok that investigated the effects beauty filters have on young users, suggesting a growing awareness of the need to protect vulnerable demographics from harmful content.

In conclusion, TikTok’s removal of the “chubby filter” marks a significant step in addressing the negative implications of body-shaming trends on the platform. As users continue to question the values and messages conveyed in digital spaces, it highlights the responsibility app developers have in shaping a culture that promotes body positivity rather than perpetuating harmful stereotypes.