Rich Man Makes $4 Every Time You Feel Insecure
Create a problem and sell the solution. This ideology has caused many to become consumers against their own will. This issue goes farther into our subconscious than many of us would like to admit. I’m talking about filters. No, not those filters on Instagram that Millennials were naming their kids after. I’m talking about the filters that alter the appearance of your face. It’s like getting plastic surgery without commitment—so what’s the issue?
As most of us know, Gen Z has acted as the “guinea pigs” of social media. Snapchat was the first to introduce filters to us. They released their first filters, or “lenses,” on Sept. 15, 2015. I’m sure we all remember when Kylie was the queen of Snapchat and paraded around in nearly every filter available. Of course, we all followed suit. Somewhere in our Snapchat memories, I can guarantee we have at least one selfie in the iconic dog lens. Instagram later joined the filter game after creating its own version of stories. With the ability to design your own filters, there are now too many to count. Snapchat originally only had 6-10 filters available.
Filters are fun and were once harmless, but how far is too far? Their use started off as innocent. They’d be a way to have funny pictures of yourself or with friends. But as of late, it has become a problem. While many wouldn’t like to admit to it, people are starting to feel a sense of dependency on them. Whether it’s to keep up with a particular image praised within social media or to make themselves look and feel better. Believe it or not, this could lead to (if it hasn’t already led to) body dysmorphia. With an emphasis on the face since that’s where the filters go, social media has already contributed to the body dysmorphia of many users. The current societal standards for women have been: slim waist, wide hips, skinny face, hairless, and more. Who am I describing? I think you know…
If you guessed the KarJenners, you are correct! They can be related to almost anything nowadays. While they’re not entirely to blame here, they did contribute to these unhealthy standards that have been projected onto today’s teens and 20-somethings. Thus, this has started a global wave of more stuff to be insecure about. Primarily average men have expected ordinary women to have certain aspects of the KarJenners, or they aren’t considered “baddies.” Another group this has affected is influencers, specifically beauty influencers. Since beauty standards are still severely 1-dimensional, many have been doing crazy contours or even going under the knife just to look like the KarJenners.
It’s not just influencers getting plastic surgery, but regular people as well. Cosmetic surgeons have noted a rise in wanting to look like a filter in recent years. Clients would come into consultation appointments for surgery and show them a filter that, when applied, is what they want to look like post-op.
Those who feel dependent on filters but can’t have an operation for whatever reason tend to find some way to up their appearance, and it’s usually just for social media. This has caused a conscious and maybe subconscious self-esteem issue within users, which could later lead to issues such as depression and body dysmorphia. People have resorted to downloading apps like Facetune, allowing users to alter their facial texture, whiten their teeth, and even slim their faces. A lot of the features are for VIP subscribers. You just have to pay $3.99 a month to no longer feel insecure!
States such as Texas and Illinois have been trying to ban certain filters from Instagram, Facebook, or Meta. Users in Texas have had difficulties in the past accessing AR filters. This comes from the Texas Attorney General suing Meta for the misuse of facial recognition software. He claims that this is because Meta violates the “Texas Capture or Use of Biometric Identifier Act.” This act was set to protect Texans from their face being collected as data without their consent. This ban lasted a week, and then Meta added them back onto its social media sites.
While filters may not be going anywhere anytime soon, and people’s use of them may not cease, there still is a way to recognize unhealthy patterns within your filter usage. You may be a part of the case study that is social media filters and their impact in the year 2050.
Strike Out,
Emily Fiorini-Casamayouret
Boca Raton
Emily Fiorini-Casamayouret is the Senior Editor for Strike Magazine Boca. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys listening to sad music, doing some retail therapy, and eating pasta. You can reach her at emily.fiorini710@gmail.com
