Influencers in Norway will soon have to label any photo they post on social media which has been retouched.
The new regulation comes as an amendment to Norway’s Marketing Act and has been brought in as part of the country’s efforts to tackle unrealistic beauty standards.
The law, which was introduced as part of a bill from Norway’s Ministry of Children and Family Affairs, will ensure that adverts and social media posts which manipulate the appearance of a person’s body are clearly marked.
When it comes into effect, any influencer who is making money off their posts will be required by law to label retouched posts with a mark designed by the government.
The law was sanctioned by the Norwegian parliament on June 11 and applies to photos with any alterations that affect the appearance of someone’s body size, shape or skin, including even the use of simple filters.
The amendment reads: “The advertiser and the person designing the advertisement must further ensure that the advertisement where a body’s shape, size or skin has been changed by retouching or other manipulation, shall be marked.”
It passed with a clear majority vote of 72-15, but will only apply “from the time the King decides.”
This law will also affect any companies advertising on social media who alter their posts to enhance their advertising and marketing campaigns, and is aimed at tackling content which “plays on social insecurity, bad conscience, low self-esteem or contributes to body pressure.”
The debate around body image and the effect of social media on ‘kroppspress’ (body pressure) has been a hot topic in Norway of late.
In the amendments to the Marketing Act, the ministry said: “The measure will hopefully make a useful and significant contribution to curbing the negative impact that such advertising has, especially on children and young people.”
Individuals or companies who breach the new regulations when they come into effect will face escalating fines and the possibility of imprisonment in extreme cases.
