TikTok has pulled a widely criticized AI filter from its platform after mounting backlash over concerns it promoted body shaming and unhealthy beauty standards. The “chubby filter,” which allowed users to alter their photos to appear heavier, sparked heated debate as videos using the effect spread rapidly across the app.
Typical videos followed a pattern: users began with an unfiltered image – usually showing a slim figure – before activating the filter, which modified their appearance while the song “Anxiety” by Doechii played in the background. The trend quickly drew negative comments, with one user calling it “mean girl coded,” a sentiment echoed by thousands. Content creators and viewers alike noted the damaging implications, especially for those whose natural bodies resembled the filter’s effect.
Health advocates were quick to condemn the filter. Luna, a wellness app for teens, criticized TikTok for normalizing body shaming and perpetuating harmful beauty ideals. Influencers such as sadiebass16 and SaffsStuff posted viral videos speaking out against the filter, highlighting how it fueled insecurities and revived toxic trends like “heroin chic.”
Facing the growing controversy, TikTok announced the removal of the filter, clarifying that it was uploaded by CapCut, a separate company that shares parent firm ByteDance with TikTok. The platform also said it would make filtered videos ineligible for recommendation and block access for teen accounts. As of Monday, searches for “chubby filter” produced no results on the TikTok app, though some remnants were still visible on the desktop version.
TikTok has hundreds of filters, many of which are considered harmless, such as those that add playful animal features. However, beauty filters have long been under fire for their impact on self-esteem and body image. Critics point to filters that erase wrinkles or alter facial structure, arguing they reinforce unrealistic standards and can even push users toward cosmetic surgery, according to recent studies.
The company has responded to concerns in the past by restricting access to beauty filters for users under 18, after research it commissioned found these effects can harm young people’s mental health. Despite these steps, experts and advocates argue that more oversight is needed to prevent trends that negatively affect vulnerable users.
