How Face Apps Contribute to Ageism

Face apps have become increasingly popular in recent years, with ones like FaceApp and Snapchat offering filters that can alter a person’s appearance in photos. These filters can change a person’s hair colour, add makeup, and even make them look older or younger.

While these apps can be fun and entertaining, they have also raised concerns about the way they reinforce harmful ageing stereotypes. These apps perpetuate the idea that ageing is something to be avoided or at least to embrace at a certain level.

I’ve recently had some fun trying one of those such apps. I wanted to see how I would have looked a bit more mature. Well, the hilarious and yet irritating thing was seeing two alternatives for this: “the oldie” and “the modern oldie” with the first one looking wrinkly and tired and the second one looking “botoxed” and still cool.

What these apps seem to be implying here is that if we still want to be relevant when we get older we should be able to keep looking young. Yet again this type of app – designed to make others take you at face value or first image value and then move forward if suitable – implies that growing older is not ideal. reinforcing negative mindsets and stereotypes.

I’m afraid that’s not right. Who says that there’s a right way or wrong way to look 50 plus? These are simply computer AI images which have been modified to suit.

At the end of the day, if you are ever called for that interview or been able to have that special date and do see someone face to face you are:

• A) going to surprise them by looking very different
• B) give your real age away when you speak and are questioned about certain landmark events in your history

It’s worth thinking twice before you use one of these apps unless you just want to have some fun. Remember, ageing is a privilege and you can still keep being relevant with your wrinkles. What’s the problem of getting older and looking it?

With every birthday, we gain more wisdom and more experience, therefore we should get more and more comfortable in our own skin. Let’s stop thinking that ageing is ugly.

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