Dating app Plenty of Fish becomes the first to ban face-filtered photos

If you're single and ready to mingle... then step away from the Instagram and Snapchat filters.

A new study out this week in the US has found 30 per cent of singles have passed up messaging someone on a dating app because their photos are too heavily filtered.

The research — commissioned by dating app Plenty of Fish — also found 70 per cent of singles consider face filters to be deceptive, while more than half of the 2,000 singles surveyed believe they should be banned altogether from dating apps.

This has led the dating platform, which is available in 20 countries, including Australia, to ban face-filtered photos.

"The face filter ban started on September 17th and our customer care team will complete a full audit of 70 million images on the platform, anticipated to be finished this year," a spokesperson tells 9Honey.

"Anyone using a filter that heavily distorts their face will be removed - for example the dog filter, bunny ears, and fake sunglasses."

In fact the dog ears and tongue filter was named the worst offender in the survey, while bunny ears and fake sunglasses were second and third respectively.

Clinical psychologist and author Dr. Cortney S. Warren said in a press release, the results show singles want more honest and transparency in dating.

"Singles today are craving greater transparency in dating, with the large majority of singles wanting honest, straight-forward information both from potential partners, as well as in their own self-presentation," Dr Warren said.

"One of the most important findings in the study is that singles are not interested in seeing an idealised depiction of potential partners through edited photos and unrealistic positive self-descriptors," Dr. Warren also noted.

While the face filter ban is an industry-first, it's not the first time a dating app has banned certain types of photos.

In 2016, Bumble banned mirror selfies, underwear shots and obscured faces from it's app.