France : Photoshopped images to carry a warning?

[pkr]

The French parliament is apparently debating whether photographs that have been manipulated should carry a warning such as "Photograph retouched to modify the physical appearance of a person."

This would apply not only to ads, but product packaging, press shots and even art photos. I'm guessing the latter would also include weddings.

Interesting idea, but where is the line drawn, as this article suggests -

http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/151446/france-floats-law-requiring-photoshopped-images-carry-a-warning/;_ylc=X3oDMTI1a210M2RpBFJfYWlkAwRSX2RtbgN5YWhvby5jb20EUl9maWQDYzZmMGRmYTY3ZWU3NzE5MjA4M2MyODIzMDViNDRmODIEUl9sdHADMQ--

[RobDickinson]

So whats manupulated and whats just processed?

[Woz]

The press are already forbidden from messing with news images aren't they?

Thing is - with this warning, it would be on every single picture in every magazine, so you'd just overlook it after the first day.

[gagsy]

I understand why the French Government would want to do it when you consider some of the fairly unreal images of models and celebrities that get published but, I don't think any state should be legislating in order to compensate for people believing the images they see are real.

Photos for journalism purposes in particular have been manipulated for decades both in the darkroom and before the shutter button is pressed by setting up shots rather than simply photographing what is there. If a Government must do something about this (and I don't think it should) it ought to be no more than educating the public to be more sceptical of what they see when manipulating images has become so convenient, rather than trying to do our thinking for us.

[downhillbiker]

The current guidelines for press photographers are already incredibly strict - the agencies and papers basically take the view that if you modify the content of a photo, you're out the door, and probably won't work in the industry again. That does exclude darkroom techniques like dodging and burning.