TikTok’s “Chubby Filter” Has Been Removed – But the Damage Is Done

A viral filter that altered users’ faces to appear “chubbier” has been taken down from TikTok’s affiliated app CapCut following widespread criticism from creators, experts, and everyday users. While the move to remove it is welcome, the backlash reveals something deeper: despite years of progress in body positivity, we're still battling the same harmful narratives—this time, repackaged through AI.

What Was the “Chubby Filter”?

The now-deleted filter, created in CapCut (an app owned by TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance), allowed users to upload a photo and see a manipulated version of themselves with added weight. It quickly made its way to TikTok, where many users shared “before and after” photos—often accompanied by jokes or exaggerated reactions.

Some used the trend to fish for compliments about their real-life (thinner) appearance. Others treated it as a tool for motivation—not to gain confidence, but to avoid looking like the edited version. None of it felt healthy.

Critics were quick to call out the damage. Sadie Bass, a 29-year-old TikTok creator from Bristol, said the filter made her “want to scream.” With over 66,000 followers, she posted publicly demanding its removal. “I just don't feel like people should be ridiculed for their body just for opening an app,” she told the BBC. Once the filter was removed, she celebrated the collective effort: “We made this change happen.”

More Than Just a Filter

This isn't the first time filters have sparked controversy. From skin-smoothing tools to lip-plumping and body-slimming effects, social media has long been shaping unrealistic standards for how we “should” look. As Cosmopolitan notes, filters have a history of pushing people further away from recognising that bodies aren't all meant to look the same—or perfectly polished.

In fact, campaigns like #FilterDrop, started by Sasha Pallari in 2020, aimed to expose the dangers of misleading beauty content and promote natural, unfiltered images. The hope was to make platforms more transparent and supportive of body diversity. So for many, the release of this “chubby” filter felt like a huge step backwards.

As Cosmopolitan put it: “It feels regressive, disappointing, and incredibly harmful.”

The Real-World Impact

The effects of body-shaming trends are not theoretical. They’re measurable—and worrying. According to a 2023 UK Government report:

• 80% of respondents said their body image negatively affected their mental health.
• 61% said it impacted their physical health, too.

This follows earlier findings by the Mental Health Foundation showing that:

• 31% of teenagers and 35% of adults felt “ashamed or depressed” because of how they looked.
• UK Parliament research found that 62% of women felt negatively about their body image most of the time.

When filters like this are introduced and promoted—even passively by the algorithm—the risk is clear: vulnerable people are being pushed toward harmful beliefs and potentially dangerous behaviours, including disordered eating and obsessive fitness routines.

Food and nutrition scientist Dr Emma Beckett described the trend as “a huge step backwards” and warned that it fuels toxic diet culture. “It opens people up to scam products and fad diets,” she said. “The fear of weight gain contributes to eating disorders and body dissatisfaction.”

This is particularly relevant for people on medications like Mounjaro, or those trying to improve their health in a sustainable way.
Tools like this filter send a harmful message that the value of a body is based on how it looks, rather than how it functions, feels, or heals.
For individuals making real, long-term lifestyle changes—whether for metabolic health, blood sugar balance, or emotional wellbeing—being exposed to body-shaming trends can trigger self-doubt, guilt, or pressure to pursue results too quickly or unsafely. It’s a distraction from what truly matters: health, not aesthetics.

A Movement That Still Has Work To Do

Five years ago, Cosmopolitan interviewed women who were proudly reclaiming the word “fat” as a neutral descriptor, not an insult. It was part of a broader shift in the body positivity movement—a push to remove shame from size. But the reappearance of tools like the chubby filter shows that the work isn’t done.

As Jessica Sherwood of the BBC shared after testing the filter on herself, “I felt incredibly uncomfortable.” She hadn’t searched for weight-related content, yet the video landed on her For You page—and once she interacted with it, TikTok began serving her similar filters, including ones that slimmed users down. Fortunately, she was also shown creators criticising the trend, but the experience highlights just how easily damaging content can spread—even to those who don’t seek it.

Final Thoughts

The removal of TikTok’s chubby filter is a win—but it’s also a wake-up call. AI-enhanced filters may seem like harmless fun, but they can reinforce deeply damaging beliefs. When filtered beauty becomes the norm, real bodies start to feel unacceptable. And that’s a problem.

If we want to build a digital culture that celebrates self-worth, inclusivity, and mental wellbeing, we have to keep pushing back. Because as long as trends like this keep surfacing, the fight against body shaming isn’t over.