Effective October 1, 2017 a new French law obliges clients who use commercial images in France to disclose whether the body shape of a model has been retouched to make the individual look thinner or larger.
As a result,
Getty Images has notified its contributors that effective Oct. 1 the company will require that photographer “not submit to us any creative content depicting models whose body shapes have been retouched to make them look thinner or larger."
Note that other changes made to models like a change of hair color, nose shape, retouching of skin or blemishes, etc., are outside the scope of this new law, and are therefore remain acceptable.
Getty acknowledges that while retouching images is a common practice in the media business, this development comes during a time when public conscientiousness regarding weight and image is undergoing a radical shift.
It is unclear how customers will know if the image they happen to choose from the Getty Images collection was created and submitted before October 1, 2017 or after.
It is unclear whether other image distributors will add similar language to their contracts with photographers.