Bold Idea: Truth-Labels

*Update

A gutsy French lawmaker, Valerie Boyer, is proposing a new law in National Assembly that could require the fashion and media industry to label as retouched all digitally altered photographs of people in advertising. The original New York Times story summarize many responses to the proposed law: 

Of course it is no secret that photos are often altered. In fact, the popular Photoshop activity has morphed into a sport on sites like Worth 1000 where people compete for prizes to see who can make the most realistic, unrealistic, images. Indeed, as Professor Philippe Jeammet, a psychiatrist at the Universite Paris Descartes, warns in the New York Times:“Retouched photos are a deception, an illusion, and we must think about the consequences.”

Images are very powerful and the Flickr/Mobile/Twitter/Facebook era is clearly feeding a very visual species. 

Two things struck me when I read about the proposed law and contemplated how a magazine, iPhone, or netbook experience might be different with a little watermark disclaimer attached to photos.

First, over time we have asked our governments to ensure the veracity of our financial markets (SEC) and dare I say for good reason. After some time and lobbying tobacco products are now legally obligated to show health related warnings on all their marketing materials so that consumers know the truth about negative health effects. These and similar measures in other industries are designed to keep markets honest and consumers protected.

So with a growing scientific consensus about the media's effect on body image it is perhaps a good time to be asking these types of questions of the fashion and beauty industry.

Second, there seems to be a double standard for men and women.  The body type of women represented in most shop windows and in magazines are quite aspirational whilst images of men, though also airbrushed and touched, seem to be more attainable. I remember walking with friends down a busy Boston shopping street and noticing that most male models are, well, good looking and stylish but with a normal and healthy build. Whereas female models often have an almost unnaturally thin, or out of proportion, figure.   

I do not have hard evidence for this observation (though that would be an interesting study) but I do recall the illustrative example a recent Ralph Lauren add that, after some time and a fumbled Ralph Lauren apology, lead to public protest in the blogosphere [Huffpost story]. 

Free speech advocates, libertarians, professional photographers, and brand-builders will no doubt have strong views on this topic but it strikes me that a small truth-label, and proper enforcement system, could be a great innovation that would allow free speech and perhaps even improve public health. However, since almost every photo undergoes some level of post-production it might make more sense to label "true" photos rather than retouched photos. Who knows, such a measure might just lead to a resurgence of old-school photographic art that shies away from digital manipulation and celebrates healthy models, an honest marketing message, and yes, good lighting.