Overview

• The 'chubby filter,' which used AI to make users appear heavier, was removed by TikTok on March 21 after widespread criticism.
• Experts and users condemned the filter for perpetuating harmful stereotypes, body dissatisfaction, and toxic diet culture.
• TikTok clarified that the filter originated from CapCut, a ByteDance-owned app, and was not directly available on TikTok itself.
• The platform has added disclaimers to searches for the filter, restricted related videos from recommendations, and blocked them from teen accounts.
• This incident highlights ongoing challenges for TikTok in balancing innovation with ethical responsibility and addressing harmful content.