''My friend posted a picture of both of us on social media and heavily retouched both of our faces and bodies. I am not a big fan of Facetune. What should I do?''
G. H.
Dear G. H.,
thank you for your question!
I am sorry about this unfortunate situation you found yourself in.
We live in the age where filters and face-tuning apps are sadly almost the new norm. With this assumption, it can be easy to slip into heavy retouching before posting a picture and expecting the others from the picture to not have a problem with it. But this is simply not true.
So your reaction of discomfort is not only valid but also important. People, including your friend, need to be aware that some of us have varying comfort levels when it comes to our image being shared. Adding filters or digitally altering someone’s face or body without us knowing can lead to embarrassment, frustration, or a sense of violation.
In fact, sharing someone’s picture or video (retouched or not) without their consent is already a breach of etiquette in itself.
I would approach your friend about this issue and politely ask them to remove the picture from social media and ask for your approval if they plan to do any posting or retouching in the future.
I cannot predict the reaction of your friend, but I also know the importance of maintaining one’s boundaries. Naturally, your friend is very welcome to use any editing software on their pictures, but this option doesn’t automatically extend to you.
In an increasingly curated digital world, a little courtesy goes a long way.
I hope you will find my advice helpful.
Yours sincerely,
Katarina
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