antiminke

Women start to disappear - photoshopping to blame

Ok, a slightly melodramatic headline for fashion fuss about advertising and models, but to an extent, it's true - women are shrinking before our eyes. This time it's not actually about too-skinny models - they don't need them to be too-skinny anymore now they can shrink them in Photoshop.

The article, Image of ultra-thin Ralph Lauren model sparks outrage, also provoked a warning on mis-using copyright law to silence criticism: "Copyright law doesn't give you the right to threaten your critics for pointing out the problems with your offerings".

The Liberal Democrats want to ban altered images for content aimed at teenagers, and I agree. As reported in the Independent:

The party is calling for a ban on the use of altered or enhanced pictures on publicity material aimed at the under-16s as part of a wider drive to boost the self-esteem of young girls. It also wants the introduction of new rules insisting that advertisements aimed at adults disclose how much images have been airbrushed or digitally enhanced.

"Ms Swinson, who led a party review of women's policy, told The Independent: "The focus on women's appearance has really got out of hand. No one really has perfect skin, perfect hair and a perfect figure but women and young girls increasingly feel that nothing less than thin and perfect will do.""

Having been a teenage girl, I say 'media literacy' training won't do it - the images are powerful even when you know how they've been made.

The politics of travel (it's not what you think)

'WH Smith's exclusive travel book deal with Penguin to go ahead despite outcry from writers', apparently because the OFT doesn't have the resources to investigate the deal? That's ridiculous. And what are Penguin thinking - can they only sell travel books if there's no competition?

The Guardian:

The Office of Fair Trading has decided against investigating WH Smith's deal to stock only Penguin's overseas guides at its travel stores. The deal caused an outcry from travel writers, including Michael Palin, when it was announced in June.

Under the agreement, brands such as Lonely Planet, Time Out and Bradt are not stocked in 265 of WH Smith's 459 travel shops, with only Penguin's Rough Guides and Eyewitness imprints on display.