Irresponsible Plastic Surgery App For Children Makes Us Worry For The Future

Would You Let Your Kids Play With A Plastic Surgery App?

In the latest scathing attack against women's bodies and young girl's self-esteem, we give you an app which turns plastic surgery into a bone-chilling game for nine-year-old children.

The app, called Plastic Surgery & Plastic Doctor & Plastic Hospital Office for Barbie Version, encourages users to fix Barbie's body as her looks slip from the doll's already unattainable beauty standards.

So far, so unsettling. But it gets worse...

"This unfortunate girl has so much extra weight that no diet can help her," reads the app description. "In our clinic she can go through a surgery called liposuction that will make her slim and beautiful. We'll need to make small cuts on problem areas and suck out the extra fat. Will you operate her, doctor?"

The app, which was released in early January 2013 by the developers Corina Game, is not recommended for children under nine due to “infrequent/mild realistic violence”.

Unsurprisingly the app has caused a stir on social media.

After feminist whistle-blowers Everyday Sexism posted the screengrab to their Twitter account, outraged tweets have been coming in thick and fast.

"This is disgusting. Can't believe young kids are given this tripe," says Kate Iselin (@kateiselin).

"Bet 'Action Man' never was asked to have plastic surgery," pointed out DJSteve (@DJSteve8).

Tamsin Kelly, editor of Parentdish.co.uk said: ‘When I first saw this I thought it was so revolting it had to be a spoof. Who on earth would think little girls would want to play plastic surgery?

"Parents of children aged 9+ would be horrified to think their children knew anything about plastic surgery and about making judgements based on bodies and looks."

The app is also available from Google Play, but it is called Plastic Surgery.

“Barbara likes to eat a lot of burgers and chocolates and once she found that she looks ugly," reads the Google Play app description. "She can’t make it up with situation any additional second. And today plastic surgeon is going to make operation on her body and face in order to return cute Barbara’s look. She is afraid of all of this."

According to The Independent, the Google Play suggests that the app has been installed between 500,000 and 1 million times.

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