Norway passed a law last month to prevent influencers from secretly sharing edited photos. If they do use filters or make other digital changes to sponsored posts, they will need to make that clear through their channels as well.
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The Norwegian government says its plan is to reduce the pressure in society caused by “idealized people in advertising”, especially to better protect young people. The government’s website carries an unmistakable message: “A law has been passed to flag retouched or otherwise manipulated advertisements if they mean that the person’s body in the advertisements is different from reality.”
If Norwegian influencers want to digitally provide themselves with a set of fuller lips, a smaller waist or an even skin in paid posts, they will have to indicate it. This has to be done with a label, designed by the Norwegian Ministry of Children and Family Affairs. Norway’s King Harald V has yet to decide when the law will come into effect. It is already established that anyone who violates this new law can be fined, and even risk a prison sentence.
Reactions from the local influencers are divided. Influencer Madeleine Pedersen says in an interview with British radio station Radio 1 that it is “high time” for such a law to be passed. “Hopefully young people will now stop comparing themselves to unrealistic images.” The Norwegian Eirin Kristiansen sees less of a point. “Mental health problems are caused by so much more than an edited photo. I don’t think a label on advertisers’ photos will change how young girls and boys really feel,” she said on the same channel.
– Photo: Insatgram Hanne Luyten
What about us? In Belgium, online influencers have been required to indicate since 2018 that it concerns advertising in the captions of their messages. The Communication Center vzw decided that this is possible by using the words ‘advertising’, ‘advertising’ or ‘sponsoring’ or by choosing hashtags such as #adv and #advertising. Violators will not be fined. There is no official law on edited images for the time being. Some well-known Flemish people do point out to their followers that not everything is what it seems on Instagram. Earlier this week, writer Hanne Luyten shared an image of her leg with and without Parisfilter from Instagram. “I sometimes use this to lighten an image, but the filter also creates a haze over the skin. I would like it better if it is automatically indicated that there is a filter on the image. You are perfect as you are”, it reads.
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