#NoFilter Series: From Puppy Face Filters to Algorithmic Assessments of Attractiveness — How AI and AR are changing our perceptions of beauty

When I tried Snapchat’s puppy face filter back in 2015, I never thought the same technology would be considered the norm six years later. As Augmented Reality advanced further, more filters were developed, with beauty filters gaining the most popularity. These so-called beauty filters have slowly been distorting our perception of beauty and expectations of humans.

From puppy face filter to impossible beauty standards

Our perception of beauty and the ‘ideal body’ has changed over time and will continue to change. What’s alarming is that the percentage of people dissatisfied with their bodies is increasing at a drastic rate. According to a 1997 study, 56% of women and 43% of men were dissatisfied with their bodies. By 2018, it had risen to 83% in women and 75% in men! Almost eight out of every ten people you know are dissatisfied with their bodies.

A number of factors have contributed to this, but face filters and apps like Facetune claim a significant share. The first major development in face filters happened back in 2013 when Lightricks, a company that develops video and image editing apps, introduced an app called Facetune. This app allowed users to make…