Ms Orla Twomey:

Absolutely. The ASAI met with Bodywhys last year and I presented to that association previously. We discussed the problem of whether people are editing their bodies to make them look like what they consider to be a more favourable body image. Part of our challenge with respect to advertising content is we are asking for examples of where this is something that is happening and causing a problem. We are in discussions with Bodywhys on how we can look at that. For example, if one is talking about a slimming product, one cannot use any type of editing tool to either make the before image of the person look larger and the after image of the person look smaller. That would be misleading. That is nothing to do with whether it is online or offline. That would be dishonest. It would not be allowed. We have upheld complaints on that issue in the past. The issue of body image goes beyond advertising. It is in everyday social media content that sometimes people create in terms of curating their own lives. That is beyond where the ASAI can have an impact.