With the Super Bowl, the biggest stage for national marketing, looming on Sunday, two South Florida congressional representatives want the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to study deceptive advertising, warning of harm to consumers due to idealized body images.
U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch, D-Fla., and U.S. Rep. Lois Capps, D-Calif., teamed up on Wednesday to introduce the “Truth in Advertising Act.” The bill urges the FTC to study advertising, working with the National Institute of Mental Health, parents’ groups and advertising experts “to develop recommendations to reduce the potential for consumer harm arising from the use of ‘photo-shopped’ body images and other deceptive advertising imagery."
The bill has garnered the support of almost ten other congressional representatives as co-sponsors including U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Fla.
The congressional representatives urged for the FTC to expand its focus towards images instead of concentrating on words in ads.
“Ongoing research has indicated that altered body and facial images can have a negative impact on mental health, especially in teens and children,” the representatives’ offices noted."Dissatisfaction with their own bodies based on unrealistic and unattainable physical standards promoted by digitally-altered images can develop into dangerous medical conditions including depression, anxiety, and eating disorders, costing families and taxpayers dearly."
When she unveiled the bill earlier this week, Ros-Lehtinen insisted the FTC needed to change as technology continues to advance.
"The Truth in Advertising Act is really about two things: individual empowerment and effective governance,” Ros-Lehtinen said. “We must promote healthy body images so that young people feel comfortable in their own skin. Imagine what could be accomplished if young Americans were free to focus their attention on improving the world around them rather than focusing hopelessly inward to change themselves on the basis of false and unattainable physical standards. The FTC already has the legal authority and responsibility to help, but they haven’t adapted to the modern digital age. It’s time for the FTC to identify and curb the deceptive practices of some advertisers for the benefit of consumers and honest businesses alike.”
“Every day, young people are exposed to digitally manipulated, airbrushed images of the human body that are unrealistic, unattainable, and yet undeniably influential,” Deutch said. “It is long past time that we take a serious look at the public health implications of the deceptive depictions of body image portrayed in advertising and the media. With 30 million Americans suffering from a significant eating disorder at some time in their lives, we must strive to better understand the causes of these deadly disorders. I am pleased to introduce the Truth in Advertising Act with my colleagues Ros-Lehtinen and Capps and look forward to continuing our shared efforts to promote healthy, realistic depictions of body image to American consumers.”
The bill has won the support of the Eating Disorders Coalition, the National Eating Disorders Association, the Center for Childhood & Youth Studies at Salem State University, the Parents Television Council and several other groups.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
