Attention avid Instagram users: your feed is about to go through some major changes. According to Spark AR, the company behind many of Instagram’s most popular filters, the company will no longer be providing any filters related to plastic surgery. That means if you’ve ever used filters like “Fix Me,” “Plastica,” or “Bad Botox,” then you’ve experienced something new users never will. In a Facebook post that has attracted lots of negative reactions, the company outlined their decision, and said that it goes in line with their new “wellness policies.” While they didn’t outline what exactly those policies were, it’s clear that anything that could be seen as promoting plastic surgery is out. That means that if the top plastic surgeon of Denver is using Instagram to promote themselves, they won’t be able to do so through filters.
Plastic Surgery Already Big On IG
This could be considered a strange move by Spark AR, as plastic surgery has been a trending field of interest on the social media platform according to BallerStatus.com. While it might make sense that IG as an application might not want to promote cosmetic surgery, it seems strange to demonize it. After all, some accounts on Insta revolve entirely around cosmetic surgery. Content can include before and after photos, plastic surgery projections, or even content related to actual procedures. Not to mention the fact that many of Instagram’s most-followed content creators have had cosmetic procedures in their past.
Many businesses use Instagram to promote themselves. Fitness models, photographers, and models have had entire careers made due to their success on the platform. So why would one of the companies responsible for much of Instagram’s content make a decision so clearly against plastic surgery? This move makes it look like the entire platform doesn’t condone ever having any procedures done, which will, in turn, make plastic surgeons look bad. Even a top plastic surgeon of Denver or NYC will look like a crooked amateur on the platform now – not that that’s their fault.
Selena Gomez Criticized For Alleged Plastic Surgery
Instagram could potentially be trying to minimize any negative exposure related to plastic surgery. When Selena Gomez posted a pic of herself in 2018 that made some users question whether or not she had a breast augmentation, the platform exploded in vitriol. Miss Gomez ended up receiving so many inflammatory comments on the post that she ended up deleting the photo, despite it being her most liked on her profile. Instagram could be attempting to minimize the bullying of celebrities due to plastic surgery allegations … But this definitely seems to be an odd way of doing it.
Will Businesses Suffer As a Result?
It’s definitely unclear how this business decision will affect Instagram as a platform, but it definitely won’t help publicize the top plastic surgeon of Denver, or anywhere else. Businesses will have to continue promoting themselves without the use of fun filters. Since Spark AR also announced that they will be postponing approval of any new filters, plastic surgery clinics also won’t be able to think of any replacements either, at least for the time being. Until Spark AR clarifies why they made the decision they did, right now it definitely looks like the company isn’t a fan of cosmetic procedures.
