By Faith Mwende
TikTok has removed a viral filter that made users appear overweight after widespread criticism and concerns over body shaming.
The AI-generated filter, known as the “chubby filter,” altered users’ photos to make them look as though they had gained weight. While some users joked about their transformations, others called it harmful, saying it promoted body shaming.
Experts warned the filter could fuel a “toxic diet culture” and contribute to eating disorders. Dr. Emma Beckett, a food and nutrition scientist, said the trend was “a huge step backwards” in addressing weight stigma.
“It’s just the same old false stereotypes and tropes about people in larger bodies being lazy and flawed, and something to be desperately avoided,” she said.
TikTok stated that the filter was uploaded by CapCut, a separate app owned by TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance. The platform has since reviewed videos using the filter, making them ineligible for recommendation and blocking them from teen accounts. Videos that violated community guidelines, such as those involving bullying, have been removed.
Sadie, a TikTok creator with 66,000 followers, welcomed the decision.
“It’s definitely a step in the right direction,” she said. “I’m happy that TikTok did that, because ultimately social media should be a fun, lighthearted place, not somewhere where you get bullied for how you look.”
She added that some women had deleted TikTok from their phones because the filter made them feel bad about themselves.
Experts warn the trend could have broader social effects, contributing to unhealthy obsessions with food, exercise, and fad diets.
