Source · Select Committees · Women and Equalities Committee
Recommendation 12
12
We were pleased to hear from companies who are committed to advertising their products by...
Recommendation
We were pleased to hear from companies who are committed to advertising their products by using real, honest images. However, a significant number of advertisers continue to rely heavily on image editing. It is clear that the constant bombardment of editing images both on and offline is detrimental to mental health and contributes to the development of poor body image. The Government should bring forward legislation to restrict or ban the use of altered images in commercial advertising and promotion. (Paragraph 91) Body image harms online
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
It is not the government’s current intention to legislate on altered images in advertising. We want to make sure that any government intervention on body image makes a real and positive difference. At present, there is insufficient evidence to conclude that legislation on digitally altered images would have the desired impact. New regulations for digitally altered images would also need to work effectively with the existing approach to advertising content and regulation in the UK, which holds advertisers to account for the content of adverts in accordance with the relevant advertising codes. The ASA has demonstrated a proactive approach to socially-responsible advertising and made several significant changes to its rules, including around misleading advertising, with little government intervention. The ASA’s existing rules on social responsibility and misleading advertising are already applied to advertising of cosmetic interventions and advertising featuring digitally altered images. Further work is needed to build the evidence base in order to determine the best course of action to address issues on body image further. To that end, the government will consider carefully the additional evidence provided through the ASA’s consultation on body image, as well as the conclusions that the ASA draws from this. The government will also be looking at body image as part of the Online Advertising Programme and will consider any further action as part of this work, in light of the findings of the ASA work.