Posting articles analyzing Photoshop failures has become a common practice for web sites that have anything remotely to do with photography. This includes sites dedicated to social commentary, fashion, celebrities as well as photography sites.
Well, the folks over at SLR Lounge and DIY Photography have articles on what may be the ultimate Photoshop failure.
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) and Lois Capps (D-CA) have introduced the Truth in Advertising Act (H.R. 4341) that would address Photoshop use in advertising.
There aren't any regulations proposed at this point. The Act directs the Commerce Department to "study" the impact of Photoshop in advertising. (The Act specifically mentions Photoshopping models and the impact it has on "body image.")
I'll put it bluntly, this is nothing more than the Congress asking for a study to justify regulating the use of Photoshop in advertisement. Why ask for the study if you're not prepared to act on it?
The worst part is that the justification given for the study applies to other advertising sectors. Obesity epidemic? Let's go after Photoshopping in food advertisements.
Do these Congresswomen not understand the can of worms they are opening here?
Let's decide for the sake of argument that Congress decides something has to be done about Photoshopping advertisements. What do they do?
Who gets to decide what is allowed? How do you implement limitations? Who enforces regulations? (And how many new federal employees would it take?) Do you limited rules to just Photoshopping people in advertisements? (I can hear Michelle Obama already calling for regulating food ads.)
Most importantly, how do you justify Government involvement given that the Supreme Court has already ruled that advertisements amount to Constitutionally protected Free Speech?
We have a $17 Trillion National Debt, one we add nearly $1 Trillion to every year. We have little economic growth. Food prices (especially beef, pork and shrimp) are going up dramatically. We have Putin destabilizing Eastern Europe.
And these two nitwits decide the most pressing issue that needs addressing is the use of Photoshop in advertising.
Is there any doubt as to why there is little respect for the people running Washington right now?
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