This proposition raises a lot of ethical questions. Some have gone overboard with retouching, not only correcting skin imperfection but smoothing the skin to plastic, changing the complete appearance of a model. No we don’t live in a wrinkle-free world, I agree. But as some have mentioned, if we are not complete hypocrites, shouldn’t we also mention that the model had makeup and plastic surgery done. Should there be another sticker for liposuction or hair coloring… Should we tell people that milk in advertising is often plain white glue… where does it stop.
I believe the average consumer is quite aware that things are not as they seem in magazines and advertising. I think they know that we’re trying to sell them something and that photography is an interpretation of reality, not it’s perfect representation. When people see a train in a movie, they don’t run scared thinking it’s gonna burst out of the screen, if you catch my drift.
How would you enforce such a law? Special photoshop task force composed of repentant retouchers? Come on! It’s always someone else’s fault. People don’t need babysitting, they need to take responsibility for their own actions!
