Germany wants ads, influencers to note use of beauty filters

BERLIN (AP) — German state officials said Friday that they want advertisers and social media influencers to label any photos that have used so-called beauty filters.

Critics argue that the filters, which offer easy ways to touch up images and remove supposed blemishes, promote unrealistic standards of beauty particularly among women and girls.

The dpa news agency quoted Hamburg’s state minister for equality, Katharina Fegebank, saying that digital tools should not determine what is considered beautiful or not.

A majority of officials from Germany’s 16 states want the federal government to come up with legislation that would require the labeling of images and videos where beauty filters were used to enhance a person’s face, skin or hair.

This would apply to commercial advertising and influencers with a significant number of followers, Fegebank was quoted as saying.