Social media influencers who use filters to alter the appearance of their face or body in photographs have been banned by a PR agency. Liquid said anyone hoping to work with the firm would have to undergo an "audit".
The company said they would only be allowed to change elements of a photo such as brightness and exposure. The Birmingham-based agency has made the pledge following a recently introduced law in the UK which forces influencers and brand spokespeople to disclose edited content to consumers.
Known officially as the Digitally Altered Body Image Bill, it applies only to sponsored posts in a bid to enforce greater transparency online. The move by the UK government follows a similar change in the law in Norway last year, Business Live reports.
A study published last year by City University in London found that 90 per cent of young women surveyed would edit pictures to reshape their nose or jaw, brighten their teeth or alter their waist before posting on social media as they felt pressured to present a perfect image of themselves online.
Liquid's chief operating officer David Colcombe said: "Mental health is extremely important at Liquid and, working day-to-day in the social media sphere, we understand how much of a negative effect it can have on mental health, especially for young people.
"Seeing edited photos on social media feeds can be detrimental to mental health as it causes people to aspire towards an appearance which simply isn't real or achievable.
"As an agency, we have a duty of care and want to make people aware of the negative consequences that can arise from influencers presenting unrealistic images of themselves to their followers. Ultimately, we hope that our move sparks a change in the world of influencer marketing.
"More importantly, we hope that, by presenting authentic images of influencers, our social media channels will be a more positive environment and our audiences will feel less pressure to change their appearance and look a certain way."
