Influencers may soon have to declare if they’ve altered their body in Insta posts

A new bill was introduced to Parliament this week


A new bill is proposing influencers will have to declare if they’ve digitally altered their body in Instagram posts.

Conservative MP Dr Luke Evans proposed the “Digitally Altered Body Images” bill in Parliament earlier this week. He argued influencers who have been paid to promote a post in which they’ve digitally edited their body should be honest about it.

He said: “If someone has been paid to post a picture on social media which they have edited, or advertisers, broadcasters or publishers are making money from an edited photograph, they should be honest and upfront about it.

“This isn’t about stopping you touching up your wedding photos or removing red eye on a post, it is targeted at those with significant, far-reaching influence and those with commercial intent.”

He suggested adopting a similar system to current advertising laws in which a “P” logo is placed on television programmes when it includes paid promotions.

If the bill is successful it would extend to companies who are advertising products as well as broadcasters, services and publishers.

Dr Luke Evans told Grazia he had seen first hand the effect unrealistic adverts had on people’s body image.

He said: “I saw first-hand how unrealistic adverts can have a real, tangible and dangerous impact on eating disorders and body confidence issues. In instances where an image has been edited for commercial purposes, or where somebody has edited an image they are being paid to post, it is absolutely right that the image should carry a disclaimer. These edited images do not represent reality.”

He also said he hoped the law wouldn’t have to be used as advertisers would move away from digitally enhancing people’s bodies, “My hope is that we, as consumers and social media users, never actually see this disclaimer, as advertisers, broadcasters and publishers no longer feel the need to fundamentally alter proportions or body shapes.”

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