Lifestyle Insight Magazine

This is just going to be me ranting TBH
For Years, Filters have been popular on social media. From color correction to fun interactive stickers to feature modification. Recently, there has been discourse surrounding the use of filters by social media personalities, celebrities and even on children.
The ‘Internet Police’ claims that the usage of filters and other forms of photo or video editing and even body modification perpetuates unrealistic beauty standards, contributing to body dysmorphia, low self-esteem and an overall increase in plastic surgery rates. It also claims that the use of filters on children will prompt them to have insecurities early on and eventually cause them to have plastic surgeries when they age.
If the term ‘bullshit’ was a sentence it would be the claim above. The text itself appears like it was conjured up by an African parent. The same way they would tell us we’re depressed, have headaches or even stomach aches all because of our phones.
Your Honor,
I’d like to argue that the use of filters amongst social media users is as a direct result of unrealistic beauty standards, body dysmorphia and low self-esteem.
Let’s get some facts straight:
1. Beauty Standards didn’t start with social media: Society, all through time has set beauty standards for itself. These beauty standards have been widespread through print and video media. I have addressed this time without number in the few months I have been writing on this platform. All social media did, is give everyone a front row seat to our own shenanigans.
2. Body Dysmorphia didn’t start with social media either. All through time, people have felt insecure about their bodies. The first diagnosis (yes, it’s an actual mental disorder) of dysmorphophobia now known as body dysmorphia can be dated back to 1886.
3. Filters are and were intended as a fun way to play with how our images appear. Today, it serves as a way for people to feel safe posting on social media appearing to fit into the set beauty standards without ridicule or bullying. People who use filters don’t use them with the intention of making others feel bad. They do it to make themselves feel better or for fun!
4. Anyone who would see a filtered image and feel distraught enough to proceed to modify their bodies using plastic surgery should seek professional help. Yes, social media can be an overwhelming space but should never be justification or blamed for the drastic decisions a lot of people make when they aren’t in the write frame of mind. The truth is it all come down to insecurity and envy. Because believe it or not, plastic cosmetic surgery didn’t start with social media either! They can be dated back to 1962 when A woman in Texas became the first person to receive silicone breast implants. Social media would kick off a few years later in 1997.
5. In the case of filter use on children, I think that posting children using filters is a great way to conceal their identity from strangers and predators online. Filters do not make children insecure, any child who at that tender age feels insecure should be given more attention so as to find the real issues because that child is most likely being bullied.
Thank you.
I’m done ranting now.