Google Switches off Face Retouching by Default on Pixel Phones
Oct. 3, 2020Google recently conducted studies to analyze the effect of filtered selfies and found a negative impact on people’s wellbeing, especially when the user is not aware that the app has applied a filter. To tackle this situation,Google has switched off face retouching options in theCamera appby default, starting with thePixel 4a, Pixel 4a (5G), andPixel 5.
According to Google, there is a significant majority of people who use the selfie camera on their Android phones. With social media setting arguably unrealistic standards for beauty and fashion, people turned toselfie appswith a wide variety ofbeauty filtersto keep up.
Alongside the decision to switch face retouching filters off,Google says it will remove references to beautyin the app. To achieve this, the company will use iconography and language that are ‘value-neutral’.
In addition, Google emphasizes thatapps using face retouching settings should clearly indicate that the filter is switched on.“These are the first of many steps we’re taking to support wellbeing and bring your voice into our design process,”Google added.
In its blog post, Google acknowledges thatSnapchatis one of the apps that share the company’s beliefs. Moreover, the company points out that Snapchat’s default camera experience is always unfiltered.
Subin writes about consumer tech, software, and security. He secretly misses the headphone jack while pretending he’s better off with the wireless freedom.
