Filters for social media photos the cause of growing concern

Norwegian law requires social media influencers to declare whether a photo they have posted on social media has been retouched or not and now, France and Britain are preparing similar laws.

While imperfections are common among humans, social media gives one the impression that influencers are flawless.

The use of face filters and other programs essentially allows people to change their appearances and as technology improves, it becomes more difficult for followers to detect adjustments to photos.

Concerns about the harm caused by the overuse of filters are growing worldwide as critics say this is promoting a culture of unrealistic beauty, especially among teenagers and young adults.

Research conducted by the brand “Dove” has shown that 80% of teenage girls have changed their appearance in online photos since the age of 13.

Studies have also shown that there is a connection between social media and depression and body deformity.

That is why some European countries have decided to control the use of beauty filters and establish regulations about it.

In Norway, advertisers and social media influencers are now required to declare whether the promotional photos they share online have been filtered or altered; Otherwise, they have done an illegal act, euronews reported.

French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire tweeted in March: “In the case of photos and videos published in the framework of advertising activities and as part of financial participation, we will make it mandatory to declare the use of filters or retouching.” “We do this to limit the psychologically damaging effects of these practices on the self-confidence of Internet users.”

Similar provisions are being discussed in the UK as part of the Online Safety Bill.

However, some experts believe that such regulations will not solve the problem.

Media psychologist Pamela Rutledge tells Euronews: “According to research, announcing that a photo has been retouched has no effect. But it would be much better if, instead of this, they fund media literacy and digital literacy so that teenagers are really prepared to face such a situation. Because the problem of the filter may appear in a different form tomorrow.

According to a survey conducted by the British House of Commons in 2020, only 5% of people under the age of 18 in this country said that they do not want to change their appearance by dieting or plastic surgery.