Failure to Influence: Legislation Requiring Social Media Influencers to Disclose their Retouched Images will not Address Youth Body Image Concerns

Authors

Michael Stuart, University of Miami School of Law

Abstract

In 2013, Israel’s Act Limiting Weight in the Modelling Industry first came into effect, requiring advertisers to disclose when images of commercial models have been digitally altered. The Act, which was the first of its kind, has come to be known as Israel’s “Photoshop Law” and was designed to help models maintain healthy weights and to ensure transparency in fashion advertising. Now, in response to growing concerns over body image issues linked with youth social media consumption, several nations around the world, including Norway and the United Kingdom, have proposed or enacted regulations that require social media influencers to add disclaimer labels to retouched images of their body in promotional posts. The prevalence of social media among youth has been heavily associated with body dissatisfaction and disordered eating, as adolescents are constantly exposed to unrealistic body standards. As government entities intend to address these issues through greater transparency by influencers online, it is unlikely that such laws will be practical or enforceable in the broad landscape of social media, thus ultimately failing to improve body image issues.

Recommended Citation

Michael Stuart, Failure to Influence: Legislation Requiring Social Media Influencers to Disclose their Retouched Images will not Address Youth Body Image Concerns, 31 U. MIA Int’l & Comp. L. Rev. 463 (2024)
Available at: https://repository.law.miami.edu/umiclr/vol31/iss2/8