If youโ€™re also a user of the mind-numbing distraction machine known as Instagram, youโ€™ve probably seen it on your story feed: the dramatic flushed cheeks, the inflated doll lips, the oh-so-cute virtual freckles. They appeal to the sparkling aesthetics of the internet age; theyโ€™re absolutely adorable; and theyโ€™re a widespread and invasive form of toxic beauty standards: Instagram selfie effects.

For the uninitiated, Instagram has introduced a feature that allows users to create their own selfie filters using augmented reality technology. With these effects, people can digitally modify their facial features with the Instagram camera, producing interesting โ€” and sometimes disturbing โ€” results.