An entire generation is being lied to as we speak… and the person to blame doesn’t even exist. 

Scrolling through social media has become a routine for many of today’s teenagers. With 78% of American teens aged 15-17 using Instagram (according to Statista), liking, commenting, following and posting isn’t a rare feat. Although phones are useful for an infinite amount of reasons, they’re also poisoning Generation Z and even millennials, Gen X and baby boomers, too, every single day. The cause? A mere four-dollar app that almost every young celebrity in existence has purchased: Facetune. 

Despite its five-star rating on the app store, Facetune is almost completely to blame for the suffocating beauty standards placed on women in today’s age. Still, every monster has a creator — and you’re probably following them, too.

Although the Kardashians are known for their plastic surgery, they should be recognized for overusing apps such as Facetune and Photoshop to completely alter their appearances but downplaying it to “a good filter, good lighting and an edit here and there,” according to Khloe Kardashian. There’s nothing wrong with plastic surgery or apps like Facetune to make yourself more confident, but portraying a fake beauty standard to millions of young followers and pretending it’s possible for profit is. 

Celebrities’ usage of photoshopping apps has understandably led to an increase in body image issues in social media users. In a study conducted by the Florida House Experience, an abuse and mental health center, it was discovered that 87% of women compare themselves to others on social media. Influencers need to do their part and become more authentic with their audiences and embrace their own insecurities to help bring this outrageous number down. The manufactured beauty standard makes young teens and even adults feel that doll-like perfection is an achievable goal with exercise and makeup, when the truth is that even the biggest celebrities can’t achieve their own looks without the help of editing.