What TikTok Claims, What Bold Glamour Does: A Filter’s Paradox

This paper critically examines the transformations applied by AI-driven augmented reality (AR) beauty filters, using TikTok’s Bold Glamour filter as a case study. Through a multidisciplinary analysis, we explore how this hyper-realistic filter modifies user appearances, reinforces Eurocentric beauty standards, and perpetuates intersectional biases in gender and racial representation. The findings reveal discrepancies between TikTok’s inclusivity claims and the filter’s actual impact on faces. By analyzing the filter’s impact across different demographic groups, this study highlights its alignment with market-driven objectives that commodify self-representation. We discuss the broader societal implications of such technologies, advocating for enhanced transparency and ethical governance to mitigate the biases embedded in digital self-representation tools.