Experts link ‘prettiness’ rating apps to anxiety and bullying in kids, while a new study warned the increasingly image-manipulated social media may even have a greater effect on mental health than seeing violence

Social media apps that rate “good looks” can lead to anxiety and lower self-esteem in kids and online bullying, experts warn.

Hundreds of millions of people use alternative reality filters every day – from comic dog ears to beauty filters that reshape noses, whiten teeth and widen eyes.

But there has also been a rise in apps such as Beauty Scanner. The apps prompt users to upload a selfie so AI can rate facial symmetry and structure and the proportion of features. Another website, Pretty Scale, says: “Am I pretty? Am I ugly? Analyze your face in 3 minutes.”

Beauty Scanner, which says it is suitable for users over the age of four, compares users’ results with celebrities, while other apps offer “digital facelifts”.

READ MORE: Teens turning to surgery in bid to look like Ariana Grande and social media filters

Ghislaine Bombusa, of online safety awareness group Internet Matters, warned relentless messaging about looking good can distort a child’s sense of identity and worth.

She said: “In recent years, platforms have created an online culture strongly focused on body image, through features such as the ability to ‘like’ and comment on posts, the use of beauty filters and AI image enhancement, and recommender systems prioritising celebrity content.

“Children and young people can be exposed to relentless messaging about appearance and the importance of looking good, which is not balanced with messages about other skills and talents. This means that children can become highly focused on what they see in the mirror and can develop negative thoughts about the impact of their appearance, which can become so routine that they can be difficult for young people to recognise or stop. In extreme cases, they can fuel the development of eating disorders as well as other mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. “

She added: ”The ‘Prettiness Rating’ apps take this situation to a new level and there is a significant risk to children. Features such as giving a ‘pretty score’ will feed into children’s insecurities and impact their self-esteem, as well as fuelling online bullying by peers sharing scores through online platforms.

“Crucially, many children open these apps in search of validation and acceptance. When that need is met with an algorithmic score, it narrows how they see themselves. Identity becomes tethered to looks alone, while the qualities that truly shape their future such as skills, talents and character are pushed to the margins. Over time this can distort a child’s sense of who they are and how they measure their own worth. “

A study by Prof Sonia Livingstone, a professor of social psychology at the London School of Economics, says that the pressures and social comparisons that result from using increasingly image-manipulated social media may even have a greater effect on mental health than seeing violence.

She said: “Our just published research shows how comparing one’s appearance to that of others on social media is linked to depression and anxiety symptoms. An AI app to give young people a ‘pretty score’ seems both unnecessary and unwise. For those with mental health problems, it may make things worse.”

In November TikTok announced new worldwide restrictions on children’s access to those that ape the effects of cosmetic surgery. It came after an investigation into the feelings of nearly 200 teenagers and parents in the UK, US and several other countries found girls were “susceptible to feelings of low self-worth” as a result of their online experiences.

Pretty Scale and Beauty Scanner did not respond to our requests for comment.

What can parents do?

Internet Matters urges parents to be extremely cautious. Consider blocking these apps entirely, and, whatever your technical choices, keep talking.

Help children build a healthy body image, celebrate their abilities beyond appearance and question the idea that a rating can define them.

Practical guidance on starting these conversations, alongside step‑by guide can be found at: https://www.internetmatters.org/resources/promoting-positive-body-image-with-children/