When a teen posts a selfie, how much filter is 'too much' filter?
State attorneys general are working to define regulations for beauty filters on social media following a settlement with Meta. The initiative aims to protect minors from the negative mental health impacts associated with digital image manipulation.
Why it matters
This represents a significant intersection of Big Tech regulation, child safety, and the growing mental health crisis among teenagers.
Tero Vesalainen/Getty Images How much filter is too much filter for kids and teens posting selfies on social media?
That is the question state attorneys general across the country are grappling with following a landmark settlement with Meta this summer. As part of the agreement, the social media giant agreed to block some digital beauty filters for minors — specifically those mimicking extreme transformations like cosmetic procedures or heavy makeup.
Now, the burden falls on state officials to tell Meta where to draw the line. But defining where harmless fun ends and harmful manipulation begins is far from straightforward.
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