A viral TikTok filter that artificially altered users’ appearances to make them look overweight has been removed following widespread backlash.
Dubbed the “chubby filter,” the AI-powered tool modified photos to simulate weight gain. While some users shared before-and-after images in a lighthearted manner, others condemned the filter as a form of body shaming, arguing that it should not be allowed on the platform.
Experts have also raised concerns that such filters could reinforce harmful beauty standards, contribute to toxic diet culture, and potentially exacerbate eating disorders.
TikTok stated that the filter was created by CapCut, a separate app owned by the same parent company, ByteDance.
The platform also told the BBC that it was reviewing videos featuring the effect, making them ineligible for recommendation and restricting their visibility on teen accounts.
Additionally, TikTok emphasized that any content violating its community guidelines—such as bullying or harassment—would be removed.
#1"Shamed for Their Appearance"
Sadie, a TikTok creator with 66,000 followers, was among those advocating for the removal of the "mean-spirited" filter.
"It's definitely a step in the right direction," she said after the filter was taken down. "I'm glad TikTok took action because social media should be a fun, lighthearted space—not a place where people are bullied for their appearance," added the 29-year-old from Bristol.
She also shared that some women had reached out to her, saying they deleted TikTok from their phones because the trend negatively impacted their self-esteem.
Dr. Emma Beckett, a food and nutrition scientist, described the trend as "a huge step backward" in the fight against weight stigma.
"It reinforces the same tired, false stereotypes that portray larger bodies as lazy or flawed—something to be avoided at all costs," she told the BBC.
She warned of broader social consequences, explaining that "the fear of weight gain fuels eating disorders and body dissatisfaction, perpetuating toxic diet culture. It leads people to obsess over food and exercise in unhealthy ways, making them vulnerable to scam products and fad diets."
#2"Harmful" and "destructive"
Before the filter was taken down, the BBC spoke with several TikTok users who expressed discomfort with its impact.
Nina, from North Wales, said the filter reinforced a harmful narrative linking appearance to self-worth.
"This is a toxic mindset that I thought we were moving away from," she said. "If a filter is clearly offensive, it should be removed."
Emma, from Ayr, shared similar concerns.
"My first thought when I saw the 'chubby filter' was how damaging it could be. People were essentially saying they looked disgusting just because they appeared 'chubby.' As a curvier woman who naturally resembles the 'after' photo from this filter, it was really disheartening."
#3"Trying Out the 'Chubby Filter'"
By Jessica Sherwood, BBC Social News
AI-powered filters that alter a person’s appearance are common on TikTok. Many are harmless—one popular trend, for example, makes users look like they’re made of Lego.
Some of the most popular videos featuring the "chubby filter" have received tens of thousands of likes.
For the purpose of this article, I decided to try the filter myself.
I felt incredibly uncomfortable.
As someone who embraces body positivity and has struggled with self-image in the past, this experience was completely at odds with how I personally engage with social media. I was also unhappy that TikTok pushed the filter to me in the first place.
#4The Hidden Impact of AI Filters on Self-Perception
This filter recently appeared on my TikTok "For You" page, despite me never engaging with weight-related or health content.
After watching the video and reading the comments, TikTok’s algorithm began suggesting more clips of people using the filter—even one where AI altered appearances to make users look thinner.
Thankfully, I also started seeing creators who were criticizing the trend, some of whom we spoke to for this article.
AI-generated images and filters have become a staple on TikTok, quickly accepted as a form of entertainment—much like how Gen Z and Millennials once embraced Snapchat filters.
However, filters like these, despite seeming harmless, can be incredibly damaging to mental health. They encourage people to compare themselves not only to others but to an unrealistic, AI-generated version of themselves.
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