With the growing use of mobile phone cameras for taking selfies, a variety of fun and unique beauty filters are being introduced in different social apps. Google recently explored the impact of filtered selfies on people's wellbeing by conducting studies and speaking with child and mental health experts. Through the research, the company found out that there is a negative impact of default filters on mental wellbeing. For this reason, Google has created guidelines on control, transparency and design language relating to filtered photos.
In a blogpost, Google revealed its new people-centered guidelines that will let users choose if and when their appearance is changed in pictures. This means that the face retouching settings will be off by default.
Google is also integrating this approach in its Pixel phones’ Camera app. While face retouching filters will be available in the camera app of Pixel 4a, Pixel 4a (5g) and Pixel 5, they will be turned off by default.
Moreover, the upcoming updates, according to Google, will include value-free, descriptive icons and labels for face retouching options that will be free of references to ‘'beauty’', so it will be up to the users to decide what retouching means to them.
