Photo Retouching: Just Accept It or Label It?

Pros

The argument for excessive photo retouching in the fashion industry centers around the image of glamour and illusion that industry insiders say the public expects and wants. Magazine editors argue that readers know the photos are altered and do not need to be labeled as such.

Cons

Critics of photo manipulation argue that unrealistic photos of women -- from excessively thin to preturnaturally youthful -- lead to eating disorders and distorted self-image. Detractors of photo retouching say that women and girls are heavily influenced by the images they see of other women and that reflection should be based more in reality instead of unattainable thinness or everlasting youth.

Where It Stands

One French pollitican, Valerie Boyer, has created controversy by proposing legislation to require digitally altered photos to be labeled as such.