New campaign to disclose use of filters online to help mental health

Social media users are being urged to disclose when posts include a filter to promote realistic beauty standards.

The photography team at ParrotPrint.com are calling for social media users to use #Filter in their captions when posting a picture or video that has been enhanced and edited.

In 2021 the ASA (Advertising Standards Authority) in the UK told social media influencers that they were not allowed to use misleading filters on beauty adverts.

The ASA stated that filters can enhance a person’s appearance and using one in any paid advertisement could potentially exaggerate the effect of the product being promoted.

Now the team at ParrotPrint are urging all social media users to disclose when a filter is being used.

This follows the Digitally Altered Body Images bill being introduced to parliament in January this year calling for influencers to be honest and upfront and photo edits.

The #Filter campaign calls for greater transparency between friends, families and influencers in order to keep social media a safe space and to prevent creating unrealistic beauty standards between peers of the same ages.

Data shows that over half of Gen Z’s in the UK admit to using a filter on their social media posts.

Forty three percent of these say that they do this to significantly alter how they look, making changes to their faces, skin tone and body shape.

Matt Dahan from ParrotPrint said that with eighty five percent of Gen Z users indicating that social media negatively affects the way they feel about their own body, it was important for all users to take a responsible approach to altered images, not just influencers.

He said: “The numbers are alarming when you look at how many young people use filters to alter the way they look and it’s all to do with what they see on social media.

“There’s nothing wrong with using them but adding #filter to captions will help stop young people from putting unrealistic beauty standards on themselves by distinguishing what’s natural and what’s not.

“Young people see pictures online of their friends, peers and influencers and get the impression that everyone looks amazing all of the time – which is just not true.

“It’s time we start promoting healthy habits on social media to reduce the levels of stress and anxiety young people are facing.

“Everyone on social media, especially those with a large following, have a responsibility to continue to make it a safe and healthy space for everyone.”

32% of teenage girls said that when feeling bad about their bodies, Instagram makes them feel worse.

It is also contributing to an increase in levels of anxiety and depression.

Matt continued: “We’re hoping that if everyone can be honest with their peers online about when they have used any filters then we can create greater transparency. People will realise that everyone uses a bit of a filter and that no one wakes up looking perfect.

“The overall goal is to lower the high levels of anxiety that social media can cause and turn it back into a positive and fun space. ”

To find out how to get your favourite picture of you and loved ones to hang at home visit https://parrotprint.com.