The Majority of Respondents (58%) Have Used Face-Alteration on Social Media

The use of face-altering filters on social media has raised concerns about their impact on mental health and body image. These filters can distort self-perception and create unrealistic beauty standards in society. Regulating face-altering filters would promote a healthier body image and reduce the pressure to conform to unattainable ideals. Additionally, it would help mitigate the negative mental health implications associated with social media use.

However, regulating face-altering filters on social media would limit creativity and self-expression. Excessive regulation could stifle creativity and limit users’ ability to express themselves freely. face-altering filters on social media platforms provide a platform for artistic experimentation and imaginative exploration. Stricter regulations might hinder the development of innovative filters and reduce the diversity of creative content available to users.

Therefore, Real Research, an online survey app, launched a survey on regulating face-altering filters on social media to gauge public opinion on the matter.

Highlights:

• The majority of respondents (68.52%) believe that social media filters should be regulated to protect against the harm of photo manipulation.
• 24.34% think regulations could make it less enjoyable for users.
• 35.41% of respondents believe face-altering filters on social media should be used responsibly.

Face-altering filters are a type of augmented reality (AR) technology that can be used to change the way people look in photos and videos. They are often used for fun and entertainment, but they can also be used to create more professional-looking content.

Face-altering filters use computer vision and image processing to identify and track facial features. Once the features are identified, the filter can be used to alter them in any way the user wants. For example, a filter might be used to make the user’s eyes look bigger, their nose look smaller, or their skin look smoother.

According to our survey, we found that 36.97% of respondents were very familiar with face-altering filters, 39.69% were somewhat familiar, and 23.34% were not familiar at all.

In the following poll, we found that most respondents (57.82%) have used face-altering filters on social media and the remaining— 48.18% have not used any.

Should Social Media Face-Altering Filters Be Regulated?

There is a growing body of research that suggests that the increasing prevalence of photo alterations on social media can harm self-esteem, mental well-being, and the promotion of unrealistic beauty standards.

One study, published in the journal “Body Image,” found that young women who were exposed to edited images of other women were more likely to report feeling dissatisfied with their own bodies and to engage in unhealthy behaviors, such as dieting and excessive exercise.

Accordingly, we asked our respondents whether they believe social media filters should be regulated. A majority of respondents (68.52%) believe that regulation is needed to protect users from the potential harms of manipulated images, compared to 17.32% who say that regulation is unnecessary.

Furthermore, 8.44% say that partial regulation is needed to strike a balance between creative expression and user protection and 5.72% of respondents remained unsure.

Why Should Face-Altering Filters on Social Media Be Regulated?

We asked the respondents who answered affirmatively to list the justifications for regulating face-altering filters on social media. According to the results, 35.67% of respondents think regulation is necessary to safeguard mental health and well-being, and 34.84% think it’s necessary to encourage realistic self-image and body positivity.

In addition, 20.84% of respondents said regulation is necessary to uphold authenticity and true depiction on social media, and 7.64% of respondents said it would aid in preventing online fraud and deception.

Why Should Face-Altering Filters on Social Media Not Be Regulated?

On the other hand, 24.34% said they provide entertainment and bring enjoyment to all the users, 23.74% said they represent innovation and technological advancements, 21.29% said they enable users to express themselves freely, 21.01% said it’s a personal choice, and 8.77% said face-altering filters promote a positive and engaging social media experience.

Respondents’ Opinions on the Use of Face-altering Filters on Social Media

When the respondents were asked about their opinion on using face-altering filters on social media and 35.41% of the respondents said that they could be entertaining but should be used responsibly, 26.08% believe that filters could harm self-esteem and body image.

Meanwhile, 22.53% of respondents believe that filters cause no harm and can be used freely and 15.98% remained uncertain.

Lastly, we asked the respondents whether they find face-altering filters on social media concerning. Results revealed that most respondents (40.32%) found them to be somewhat concerning and 27.18% found it very concerning. On the other hand, 32.5% do not find them concerning.