Arizona Law Takes Aim At Airbrushed Photos In Advertisements

Allow me to let you in on a little secret, women have curves, pores, wrinkles and other imperfections that make them who they are and now lawmakers in Arizona want ad viewers to recognize those wrinkles by attacking airbrushed ads.

House Bill 2793, proposed by Rep. Katie Hobbs, D-Phoenix, would require that a disclaimer be placed on ads that reads:

“Postproduction techniques were made to alter the appearance in this advertisement. When using this product, similar results may not be achieved.”

While Hobbs has acknowledged that the bill has almost a zero percent chance of succeeding she notes:

“We just wanted to bring it to the table and start a discussion. We need to bring attention to these body-image issues, especially with young girls. Girls need to know that they don’t have to look perfect.”

The bill is the first in the United States but it’s not a new premise, similar laws in the United Kingdom have already been enacted.

The issue at hand is the simple fact that photo-manipulation has become so good that it’s almost impossible for the average consumer to realize when a product is doing it’s job and not a digital artist. The problem comes down to targeting beauty ads that promise similar results that are likely impossible to produce.

As Sam Richard of the YWCA Maricopa County board of directors states:

“It’s one thing to make the sky bluer. It’s another thing to make my body look perfect,” he said. “And with the companies we represent, we see an advantage to choosing to tell the truth.”

Do you think a disclaimer should be placed on ads that clearly lie to customers interested in certain beauty products?