Fake photo or reality? A logo will soon explain this.
I.n Advertising and social media present many people as flawless and perfect. Users feel pressured, their own bodies seem to be unable to keep up. But as beautiful as the photo landscape is, the terrain turns out to be extremely deceptive: Users do not always immediately recognize that many images are edited content that does not reflect reality at all. This is set to change in Norway in the future. Parliament passes logos against fake images.
New advertising law in Norway
Image editing is now easier than ever. Photoshop, simple apps or filters directly on Instagram make retouching easy for everyone. Subsequent uploading is then just a breeze. Norway sees this as problematic. Why? According to reports from
picture More and more young people suffer from a distorted perception of their body image. In Norway this is called “kroppspress” (“body pressure”). Parliament therefore passed a fresh advertising law on June 2, 2021. From 2022, correspondingly edited photos by influencers or agencies will have to be given a logo. That should then be checked by consumer protection.
Logo mandatory for influencers
A survey by the Norwegian child protection organization “Redd barnas ungdom” found that 43 percent of those questioned are under stress when it comes to their appearance. The logo requirement under the new advertising law concerns changes to the body, skin or size. The goal is clear. Family Minister Kjell Ingolf Ropstad says: “We want children and young people to accept each other for who they are in the future.” It is still allowed without marking to make photos lighter, darker or sharper. Anyone who does not adhere to the obligation has to pay a fine. How much will be discussed in the coming months. Whether a corresponding law will also come in Germany is still in the stars. However, what stars and starlets currently have to mark on Instagram are advertising campaigns.
Often perspective is crucial
However, there are some influencers who voluntarily fall out of line with all of the ideal images. Under the hashtag #instavsreality, among others, the well-known German influencer Natalie Stommel posts the truth behind the perfect Instagram pictures. Her motto: “Imperfectly perfect? For a little more reality”. In her posts you can see how much perspective can already do in a photo. Is this how we can escape the illusion and readjust the compass for self-acceptance? It would be desirable. Then tongue twisters like “kroppspress” are no longer needed.
