New UK law bans influencers from using 'misleading' filters in paid beauty ads
Research shows that Instagram can have a terrible influence on users' self-image, especially young girls. Spending hours a day scrolling through pictures of people who look great and are living what appears to be a perfect life can lead to "a lot of self-doubt, self-hate, body image issues."
This comparison trap leads to feelings of inadequacy which, in turn, can cause depression and anxiety. Some researchers attribute the massive increase in teen suicides over the past decade to social media sites such as Instagram.
The terrible thing is that most of these influencer images have been altered by Photoshop and filters. So the beauty standards presented in the photos are nearly impossible to attain. And, most of the time, the lives the influencers appear to be living are little more than an illusion paid for by a makeup company.
Lawmakers in the UK have taken a big step towards making it harder for people to fall into the comparison trap by banning the use of beauty filters in posts that promote skincare products or cosmetics.
That's a huge move being that cosmetic companies spend millions on Instagram advertising every year. According to Forbes, Maybelline spends 60% of its social media ad dollars on Instagram with Sephora spending 43%, and Estee Lauder, 46%.
The decision was made by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and it applies to all brands, influencers, and celebrities based in the UK.
"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," an ASA spokesperson said.
"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," the spokesperson continued.
The decision not only encourages marketers on the platform to present more realistic images of beauty, but it also prevents people from purchasing products that don't work. Using a special effect to show how the efficacy of a product is false advertising.
So now, UK consumers won't be fooled by seeing flawless, unrealistic-looking skin. Instead, they can see how the product actually works on people who have skin like themselves.
The ban was inspired by the work of makeup artist Sasha Pallari, who started the #FilterDrop campaign in the hope of seeing "more real skin" on Instagram.
"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 told the BBC.
"I can now help make a difference to how these women view themselves in the mirror and that's amazing," she continued.
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There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."