A law in France passed in 2015 is finally coming into effect, as from October 1st all French magazines must mark which images have been retouched.
The legislation has been described by French minister of social affairs and health Marisol Touraine as an attempt to battle “Exposing young people to normative and unrealistic images of bodies [which] leads to a sense of self-depreciation and poor self-esteem.”
The change from the French government is actually part of a two pronged attack to tackle the responsibility of media to depict realistic images to readers. The first part of their legislation detailed that models must have a note from a doctor proving they are healthy; and agencies violating this law could face hefty fines and even jail time.
Retouching images in the fashion and beauty industry is still a heavy talking point in a world where it’s no secret that retouching is used; and presently, the likes of Italy and Israel are also changing laws to accomodate a move towards greater transperancy.
