Smoothing out imperfections with a filter on Instagram has become commonplace, and a hotly debated topic. The UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has recently released a rule restricting the use of misleading beauty filters by brands, influencers, and celebrities in sponsored or promotional posts if such filters are “likely to exaggerate the effect the product was capable of achieving.”

The ruling was the result of complaints filed for sponsored posts by Elly Noriss for Skinny Tan and Cinzia Baylis-Zullo for Tanologist Tan. The ASA examined two instances in which influencers added filters to videos shared to promote tanning products.

The complainant believed that the Instagram filter used in the story exaggerated the efficacy of the advertised product and therefore challenged whether the ads were misleading. While the ASA recognized that the use of filters is not inherently problematic, advertisers of cosmetics products need to take particular care not to exaggerate or otherwise mislead consumers regarding the product advertised.

A spokesperson for ASA told the BBC: “An ongoing focus of our work in this area continues to be on raising awareness of the rules and supporting influencers with the guidance and tools they need to help get their ads right. We’re also working closely with the social media platforms who can and will enforce our rulings where an advertiser is unwilling or able to work with us.”