One of the major problems with the use of social media in the fashion industry is that it has perpetuated a negative body image for women. It was found with eating disorders that “the promotion of unrealistic standards of beauty and thinness from the sociocultural context has been highlighted as one of the most prominent contributing factors” (Rodgers). Women are easily persuaded by what they see online, so the constant images of underweight women on their social media feed is detrimental to their health. Among young girls in fifth through 12th grade “47 percent reported wanting to lose weight because of magazine pictures” (Harvard). Today, the images that are constantly shared through social media have a serious mental effect on women just like these magazine images do. In order to get rid of this risk, the U.S. should pass legislation that regulates the use of models with unhealthy weights. Legislation like this is very possible, as “France has already passed a law that would impose steep fines and potentially jail time on agencies that pressure models to be excessively thin as a condition of employment,” (Harvard). Additionally, these French models are required “to have a medical certificate, valid for up to two years, confirming their general physical well-being and the fact they are not excessively underweight” (Friedman). By requiring proof of the models’ health as well as discipline towards agencies that refuse to follow these rules, fashion brands are held accountable for their actions. By putting the brands on the line, they are less likely to use models with risky health thus decreasing the number of pictures shared on social media that have negative impacts on women. Having laws that help prevent the over exposure of unhealthy body ideals would do great wonders as “the fashion industry promulgates ideals about female standards of beauty that are unachievable for most women, and we know these images that saturate out mass media are dangerous” (Harvard). While monitoring the weight and health of models would have a great effect on the images portrayed on social media, there are counterarguments. Some people argue “models are most often discovered and break through in magazines before they are snapped up by brands for marketing campaigns. So the new law would not alleviate the pressure for thinness emanating from the glossy side” (Friedman). However, if these laws are not passed there could be detrimental effects not only for the viewers but also for the models themselves. The pressure for models to keep their weight low is so strong that “models have died of starvation-related complications, sometimes just after stepping off the runway” (Harvard). Besides reducing negative body images, the use of healthy weight models can even boost your brand and company profits. Dove launched a campaign in 2004 entitled “Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty” in which they “featured women with real bodies and real curves”. The campaign was so successful that Dove has “seen a large increase in product sales over the last 10 years” (Jackson). Campaigns like this one not only boost your own brand but also save women from feeling pressured to be thin like the typical models they see. By promoting a healthier body image, “companies could even bolster consumers’ affinity with and loyalty to the brand,” in addition to reducing the risk of eating disorders (Jackson). The consumers will be thanking the company for promoting a healthy image for women and even their daughters. Even though this legislation would not fix every single problem that comes from images of models in the media, “it will be one step closer to stemming the well-documented psychological harm these images cause, especially to young and vulnerable consumers” (Friedman).
