TikTok Rolls Out New Rules For Beauty Filters To Better Protect Young Users

In the past, we’ve seen countries like the UK roll out new measures to ensure young users remain safe from the harms of beauty filters. Now, social media giant TikTok is rolling out its own rules to better protect minors online.

According to the latest report from The Guardian, the app will enforce new restrictions on using beauty filters. Anyone between the ages of 13 and 18 will no longer be allowed to change their looks with such features. This includes plumping up lips, changing skin color, and making their eyes bigger.

Similarly, any feature famous on the app for modifying users’ appearance will now be restricted. So does this mean young users can no longer play around and have fun on the platform? Not exactly as TikTok just made it so clear that fun features like dog noses and bunny ears are still up for grabs and pose no harm.

The changes discussed above were shared during a recent safety forum in Ireland. The government shared how it’s implementing the Online Safety Bill, which forces social media apps to highlight new changes to keep kids safe from harm and also ward them away from harmful material like those that market unrealistic standards linked to beauty.

The EU’s DSA from 2022 shared comparable limitations. It emphasized the need for apps to better their transparency linked to algorithms and also gave them more control over their material. Such measures lead to more awareness in the public about using filters and the impact they pose on users.

But that is not all. The social media giant is also ensuring those below the 13-year age bracket won’t get access to the app in the UK. The platform will employ the best tech to prevent anyone from trying to bypass such age restrictions.

As per the head of the app’s child safety policies, TikTok wants to detect and remove users at a fast pace who don’t meet the age eligibility requirements.

Anyone blocked wrongly can also appeal if they feel they were treated unfairly, the app continued. As per TikTok, the latest rules are not only for those in the UK and the EU. it’s coming globally to everyone in the next couple of weeks so stay tuned.

In another news TikTok claims that "over 175m people across Europe now come to TikTok every month".

Image: DIW-Aigen

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by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World