Every day, we are presented with highly polished, retouched images on social media, whether we realize it or not. From filters to editing apps, it has never been easier to alter appearances, a trend that doesn’t just affect everyday users but also impacts professional models and the modeling industry at large. For models represented by top model agencies, their images are often retouched to meet industry standards, setting an ideal that can influence both aspiring models and social media audiences.
This autumn, the UK introduced a bill requiring that retouched photos on social media be clearly marked. Influencers advertising skin and beauty products must now disclose when face filters or retouching are used, writes Dazed. The regulation follows the #filterdrop campaign, started by Sasha Pallari in 2020, which advocated for “more real skin” on Instagram. Advertisements violating the new rule will be removed and prevented from being reposted, a measure that could reshape how beauty is marketed online.
While Norway currently lacks a law mandating that retouched images or sponsored posts be labeled, discussions are underway. Oslo Municipality took the lead back in 2018 by banning retouched advertising in public spaces, a move that soon spread nationwide.
Models and influencers alike are closely watching these developments. For example, Minister for Children and Families, Kjell Ingolf Ropstad, emphasizes the need to counteract body pressure and strengthen young people’s self-esteem. “One of the most important things we do is to help children and young people master their own lives,” he says, highlighting the broader societal responsibility that intersects with modeling and social media influence.
Ropstad explains that the proposed changes to the Marketing Act will require advertisers—including those collaborating with models and model agencies—to mark any content where the body of the person has been altered digitally. Ethical guidelines for influencer marketing, enforced by the Professional Committee for Influencer Marketing, will also support these new standards.
Influencers themselves are responding positively. Janka Polliani, with over 160,000 followers on Instagram, calls the UK rule “fantastic” and hopes Norway will follow suit. She notes that while Instagram’s rise in user-generated filters has changed the platform, mandatory disclosure could lead to more transparency and honesty in both modeling and social media marketing.
As discussions around retouched images continue, the intersection of modeling, social media, and advertising regulations shows how deeply models and model agencies are affected—not just in their careers but in shaping societal standards of beauty and authenticity.
