New Rule In France: Photoshopped Pictures Must Be Labelled

A new law in France requires that a picture that has been photoshopped be labelled as such before being published. If a person does not comply, then he/she will have to pay a whopping $44,000.

However, the law doesn’t apply to retouching hair or removing skin blemishes. It is aimed at avoiding images of models who are excessively thin

Any commercial photo in which the “body of the model has been modified … to either slim or flesh out her figure” must bear a “photographie retouchée” (“retouched photograph”) label, said French officials.

The move comes because the government want to reduce the number of unrealistic image that young people see.

Health Minister Marisol Touraine said exposure to such images can lead “to a sense of self-depreciation and poor self-esteem that can impact health-related behaviour.

Eating disorders rampant

Many youths have eating disorder problems in France. Around 600,000 people have eating disorders in the country, and it is the top cause of death among 15-24 year-olds.

Earlier this year, France issued another rule, in which it mandates that models have to provide a doctor’s note showing that they are of a healthy weight before they can work

Two of the biggest fashion firms in the world, LVMH and Kering, have said that they will no longer use models who are below a French size 32, which is UK size 6 or US size 0. The firms will also not use models who are younger than 16 to model for adult clothes.

Kering’s chairman Francois-Henri Pinault said the firms hope to inspire the entire industry to follow suit. The two companies own most of the top fashion brands in the world, including Gucci, Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton, Stella McCartney, Givenchy, Alexander McQueen, and many others.

France has also taken aim at so called “pro-anorexia” websites. It made it illegal in 2015 to advocate for eating disorders. Punishments could be up to a year in jail and a €10,000 fine for violators.

Also Read: LVMH, Kering Ban Ultra Thin Models