Israel Parliament to implement ‘Photoshop Law’ forcing advertisers to identify touched-up images
An article by Sarah 
Posted June 16, 2010
Advertising firms will have to issue a notice on ads with digitally touched-up models, if the Knesset approves a compromise solution presented yesterday to the cabinet on the ‘Photoshop Law’.
The coalition decided yesterday to back a bill that bans showing photos of underweight models in advertisements. The Ministerial Committee for Legislation decided to support the bill, though with substantive changes.
Originally the bill had called for a ban to the hiring of underweight models, as well as a ban on the use of computer programs by advertising agencies, which would alter the dimensions of models.
The compromise legislation allows advertising agencies to use photo altering software, which make possible the changing of dimensions of models in photos, however the agencies will have to issue a notice on each of their advertisements that alterations were made. The law is named for the software program Adobe Photoshop.
The aim of the bill, proposed by MK Rachel Adatto (Kadima ), and Danny Danon (Likud ), is to cut down on eating disorders among youth.
“The prevalence of eating disorders, including anorexia, is on the rise in Israeli society in recent years, especially among teenage girls,” the MKs wrote. “Research proves that one of the reasons for eating disorder among young women is the influence of the media and advertising which presents especially skinny women as standards to emulate, and by this affect youths’ standards. The fashion industry and especially the advertising industry have created a distorted image of the ideal woman when many of the models appearing in advertisements are in a state of undernourishment. Such an image is used an a model for emulation mostly by young girls who are trying to lose excessive amounts of weight.”
