Dr. Luke Evans MP has drawn up a bill that would make it the law for all social media users to
state that an image has been digitally altered. Emily Weatherill reports.
The law aims to address unrealistic beauty standards and would require everyone, including
advertisers, broadcasters and publishers to display a warning label when a face or body has
been altered.
A similar law is already placed in France, and companies face a fine if they do not comply.
The bill has been supported by many mental health charities as well as The Girlguiding
Advocate Panel – who conducted their own research to find that 50% of young women
between ages 11 and 21 regularly use apps to edit themselves online.
It is no surprise these figures are so high when there are countless free editing apps
available to easily download.
The YMCAs Be Real campaign has also backed the bill. The campaign aims to change
attitudes to body image and help us all be confident in our bodies.
Liam Preston, head of the campaign, said to ITV: “Social media has a huge impact on how
people feel about their bodies.
“Young people especially are on social media constantly and they are bombarded with
airbrushed photos that aren’t attainable, causing low self-esteem.”
Mr Preston believes that if images are labelled as edited, then social media users will know
it’s not reality, relieving pressure on themselves.
Critics to the bill, however, claim that the law would be unenforceable.
