Influencers Can No Longer Use ‘Misleading’ Filters In Paid Beauty Adverts

Influencers will no longer be able to apply filters when advertising beauty products on Instagram, if they exaggerate the effect of the product.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has made the decision after observing examples where filters were added to sponsored content on the social media site promoting various tanning products.

The organisation then decided that the filters 'misleadingly exaggerated the effect the product was capable of achieving', and that simply saying a filter was used in the caption was not good enough.

Now, any UK brand, influencer or celebrity posting ads who breaks these newly-implemented rules will be both removed and banned from being reposted.

The move comes following the months-long #filterdrop social media campaign spearheaded by make-up artist Sasha Pallari in July last year.

The mission urged influencers to show their 'real skin' when promoting makeup or other beauty products.

Pallari said she was 'over the moon' about the ASA's new rules, adding it was a 'huge step in the right direction'.

"I feel like the detrimental effect this is having on social media users has finally been taken seriously and this is a huge step in the right direction for how filters are used and the way cosmetics are advertised online," she said.

"I can now help make a difference to how these women view themselves in the mirror and that's amazing."

A spokesman for the ASA added: "An ongoing focus of our work in this area continues to be on raising awareness of the rules and supporting influencers with the guidance and tools they need to help get their ads right.

"We're also working closely with the social media platforms who can and will enforce our rulings where an advertiser is unwilling or able to work with us."

Despite makes progress with the ruling, Pallari said she would continue to fight to get face-altering filters removed from Instagram altogether.

"There's no point coming this far, to only come this far," she said. "How can Instagram agree to remove filters that promote plastic surgery, but not filters that alter your shape - how else are we going to alter our face without plastic surgery?"

Celebrities including former Little Mix singer Jesy Nelson have also encouraged others to ditch the face filters.

The 29-year-old told followers that while she 'loves a little Instagram filter that makes you look a bit more tanned or your skin a bit fresher', she criticised the fact that many gave her a 'tiny nose and huge lips'.

"I don't understand why Instagram feels the need to squash your nose and make it really skinny. What's wrong with a standard nose?" she said.

"I'm so confused why whoever makes these filters think that is what beauty is."

Topics: Instagram, News, Social Media, Technology

Jessica Lynch

@jesskalynch