Proposed French Law Requires Warning on Photoshop Pix

(Paris, France) Valerie Boyer, a member of the French Parliament, is spearheading an effort to outlaw photoshopped and airbrushed fashion photos of women unless they are accompanied with a government health warning.

"Many young people, particularly girls, do not know the difference between the virtual and reality, and can develop complexes from a very young age.

"In some cases this leads to anorexia or bulimia and very serious health problems.

"It's not just a question of public health, but also a way of protecting the consumer."

The proposed legislation calls for photographs to display a statement saying "digitally enhanced to modify a person's body image."

Valerie Boyer has been working for a couple years trying to enact specifically-targeted restrictions on airbrushed and photoshopped advertising for the sake of "national health." "Promotion of extreme thinness" will apparently be a punishable offense.

Interestingly, the proposed legislation doesn't seem to exclude minor digital enhancements for cosmetic purposes, such as the removal of a skin blemish or errant hair.

It's unclear what the final law will contain but Boyer wants a wide scope. Photos in all forms of mass communication, including newspapers, magazines, blogs and websites, billboards, product packaging, political and artistic photos, are being considered and penalties of up to three years in jail and possible fines of $71,000 for noncompliance have been mentioned.

Mrs Boyer said she wanted a fine of 30,000 pounds, or up to 50 per cent of the cost of the publicity campaign, for advertisers that break the law.

But she added: "It is not an attempt to damage creativity of photographers or publicity campaigns, but to advise the public on whether what they are seeing is real or not."

In conclusion, enhanced pictures of women must carry a government warning. Strangely, news services inclined to digitally enhance pictures to interject a political viewpoint may continue to do so without warning the public (i.e. fauxtography).

When it comes to world affairs, current events and politics, the French are unconcerned that the public is sometimes deceived. When it comes to fashion models, though, the French adamantly want the public to know the truth and to be warned of deceit.

It's for the sake of the children and for public health.