TikTok to Implement Age Restrictions on Beauty Filters

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The Facts

  • Social media giant TikTok will, over the next few weeks, ban those aged under 18 from using certain filters that alter users' facial features.

  • Features that will be banned, like 'Bold Glamour,' make users' eyes appear larger, enhances lips, and alters skin tone and texture.

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The Spin

Narrative A

TikTok has cultivated a digital ecosystem that preys on the vulnerabilities of its youngest users. Its addictive algorithm traps teens in polarized echo chambers. Harmful beauty norms are amplified, damaging children's self-esteem, while underage users face exploitation through live-streaming features. TikTok's true priority remains maximizing engagement rather than user well-being.

Wayland Student Press

Narrative B

Blaming TikTok for teenagers' mental health challenges overlooks broader societal dynamics while unfairly targeting a single platform. Social media, including TikTok, mirrors existing societal discontent and amplifies public sentiment, but it does not operate in a vacuum. Politicians' fixation on TikTok deflects attention from systemic issues. This scapegoating distracts from meaningful oversight and regulation that could address the broader challenges of digital spaces.

Metaculus Prediction

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