A new iPhone app targeted at children slims down their faces and makes them look "prettier."
The app, called Slim Booth, has been slammed as "disturbing" and "damaging" by leading charities.
The pink, sparkly app seems to be aimed at young girls, and allows children to take selfies and alter their face to be thinner, along with fixing their features like "magic."
The app uses an image of a very young child as an example in the app store, altering her chin, jaw and eyes to make her appear thinner.
"Are you curious as to why some celebrities have slimmer V-shaped faces, chins and bigger eyes than before?"
"Do you wonder if you'd also look prettier or more handsome with a slimmer face and bigger eyes? What about your school mates?"
"No need to go for any plastic surgery and it saves money and time!" boasts the app's description.
The ISPCC expressed concern about apps or games that encourage children to question their appearance.
“There are many great, fun and educational apps available that provide a wealth of great experiences for children and young people," stated ISPCC Director of Services Caroline O’Sullivan.
“However, apps and games which can undermine the confidence of children through encouraging the idea that their appearance could or should be changed, or to fit in with an artificial ‘norm’ are not beneficial."
"Children are being thrust into the adult ideals of physical attractiveness, being portrayed as ‘mini-adults’ and being denied the innocence of childhood."
“We have seen this affect in a number of ways. For example, it is has a very negative impact on their body image as they have unrealistic expectations of how they should look and behave."
"This can cause a massive amount of stress and anxiety for young people."
"Self-esteem and self-worth in children is a key part of resilience – any apps which target and encourage children to believe that their appearance could or should be changed have no beneficial qualities. They can, in fact, have a negative impact on children's view of themselves."
"Using a child in before and after pictures and implying that a slimmed down version of their face would make them look more attractive sends out very worrying messages,"Claude Knights, chief executive for children's charity Kidscape told the Daily Mail.
"Young people should be left to celebrate who they are and not continually encouraged to strive for what is often the unattainable," said a spokesperson from eating disorders charity Beat.
The app was made by Dim Dim Sum, a company based in Hong Kong that specialises in app development.
