Everything Wrong With TikTok’s New ‘Chubby Filter’ Trend

Over the last few weeks a recent disappointing controversy has worked its way onto the world’s for you page on TikTok.

An alarming new CapCut filter has made the rounds on social media which involves conventionally attractive and thin women taking a photo of themselves and using the filter to transform them into an AI generated “chubby” version of themselves, making them appear larger than they previously were.

This peculiar trend is paired with a slowed down version of Doechii’s latest release ‘Anxiety’.

@dennismccann_ Ffs shouldn’t of had that takeaway last night @Kathleenxrooney on insta 🧡🍒 ♬ original sound – Riley2612

It’s been made quite apparent by the people using this filter that they are posting the ‘chubby’ versions of themselves as a joke, in a way to mock and degrade other women and men who are the weight the filter is portraying them to be. This trend is a true form fat shaming, bullying and is pushing a fatphobic narrative.

One of the leading discourses on social media and TikTok in general is the topic of body image, diet culture and how pushing restrictive and obsessive eating can often promote eating disorders. On the other hand, the filter can also be flipped into making someone appear slimmer than they are, and some are posting saying, “Using the skinny filter to motivate me to lose weight”.

@zoeb750 I think I’ll just stay chunky 😂😂😂😂 #aifilter ♬ original sound – toothlessiloveyouuu

As of January this year a study by UC San Francisco showed that 68.2% of children under the age of 13 and 66.1% of children over the age of 13 are using TikTok. Much of the content on apps like TikTok is not appropriate for younger audiences to be watching, let alone a trend promoting fat loss and fatphobia.

There is a reason the app has age restrictive settings, which unfortunately can easily be avoided. Young children can be incredibly impressionable and with an insecure and constantly changing mind it is very easy for them to pick up on habits that grown adults are promoting like under eating, and bullying, degrading, diet and gym culture.

As we are all aware, people use social media as a highlight reel of their life. Insecurities are hidden and egos are boosted. We often see influencers showing off lavish purchases, extravagant proposals, expensive pilates classes and gym wear brands. Most commonly we see conventionally attractive women and men body checking, posting a grwm in their underwear or bikini.

 

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A post shared by Liv Schmidt (@livsschmidt)

This new CapCut filter is just another way to show off a slim, traditionally attractive body. However, what makes this trend worse than the average body check video is that whilst these people are showing off their bodies they are dragging others down in the process.

Thankfully this filter is not too prevalent on the platform and we are seeing more of the outrage and disgusted feelings people have towards the trend.

@xvvcxoo Do the slim people on this app ever get their heads out of their arses??? (Asking from one slim person to another x). Like what is the need for this trend? You’re skinny, congrats.. would you like a medal or soemthing? Get a grip 🤣. It’s the captions that go along with this trend that makes it 1000x worse. #fyp #foryoupage #trending #trendingfilter ♬ Anxiety – Doechii

As the creator above says – like, what is the need for this trend?