New guide published to help children understand how advertisers touch-up photos

When first Lynne Featherstone, and then ably assisted by Jo Swinson, started pushing issues of body confidence and low self-esteem, it was rare for politicians to talk much about such issues.

That is slowly changing, and alongside that there is an increasing number of steps being taken to help make people more aware of how unreal many of the images presented to us through advertising really are.

The latest steps have been announced today, as the Press Association reports:

The government has backed a guide to help parents teach their children to be confident about their bodies.

The guide stresses that the so-called perfect body and the emphasis on skinniness is a “socially and culturally constructed ideal”. It features before-and-after touched-up pictures of celebrities such as Britney Spears, and encourages parents to make children aware that many images in the media and advertisements are enhanced…

Lynne Featherstone, the equalities minister, said the guide was an important contribution to the government’s campaign to boost body confidence among children. It would empower parents to have “those difficult conversations” with their children, she said.

“Young people are being set an impossible standard by images in media and advertising which can erode their self-esteem. As parents, we are often aware of these issues but may not have the advice and guidance we need to talk to our children,” Featherstone said.