You may have recently seen people on IG stories with excessively pouty lips, narrow noses and highly-defined cheekbones. You probably realized within seconds that this creepily modelesque avatar is not actually what that person looks like. However, Instagram will be banning their filters that give the impression of someone having undergone loads of plastic surgery, so you won't have to speculate for the slightest instant whether you're looking at the real deal or not.
Spark AR, the company behind Instagram's filters, put out a statement on Facebook detailing its "Update on Well-being Policies." To ensure that the Effect Gallery promotes a "positive experience," Spark AR will be:
- "Removing all effects associated with plastic surgery from the Instagram Effect Gallery
- Postponing approval of new effects associated with plastic surgery until further notice
- Continuing to remove policy-violating effects as they are identified"
This is an important and commendable move, as filters have been repeatedly proven to warp people's self-image. "Snapchat Dysmorphia" even became a term that plastic surgeons were throwing around as a trend arose of clients approaching them with filtered selfies, used as examples of the kind of appearance they wished to emulate. A study by the Boston Medical Center determined that 55 percent of plastic surgeons report seeing patients who want to improve their appearance in selfies. Considering this staggering statistic, Instagram limiting the unrealistic standards fostered by blemish-removing and cheek-hollowing filters is crucial.