What to know about the outrage over the trending 'chubby' filter
In recent days, there has been media outrage over a new trend involving a "Chubby" filter, an AI-powered effect that alters users' appearances to make them look heavier.
Go Deeper: While some users have engaged with this filter in a lighthearted manner, a significant backlash has emerged, with many criticizing the trend as fatphobic and harmful.
Users often pair the filter, tongue in cheek, with captions like: "Shouldn't have had that takeaway last night" or "If this doesn't scare me into sticking to the gym, I don't know what will."
@demi_jane1 #CapCut if this doesn’t scare me into sticking to the gym I don’t know what will 🤣
♬ original sound - leviemealone🩶
What are critics saying: Critics argue that this trend perpetuates harmful beauty standards and body shaming. Among the most watched videos criticising users for sharing the filter is UK TikToker SaffsStuff who said: "If you are posting a trend, the onus is on you to educate yourself about the background of that trend whether or not you meant it in that way.
@overfilteredovereaten The AI chubby filter: It’s not funny or lighthearted and anyone who claims that it is is either naive to the origin of the trend or the aspirations of people using the feature (flattery on being a smaller size/ fat shaming people who aren’t that creators current size) OR they have used the filter for their page and are playing dumb to the comments because it might have given them a few new followers or likes on their profile. Sick. Stop doing it. A morning rant on my top line thoughts because I don’t know WHY my algorithm is pushing this trend on me as a creator who has always spoken out to the opposite effect. #aitrend #chubbytrend #ana #stop #notfunny #recovery #naive
♬ original sound - SaffsStuff
In response to the backlash, some creators have defended the filter as harmless fun, arguing that it is meant to be humorous. However, this view has been met with criticism from those who feel that making light of weight gain contributes to a culture of body shaming.
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