Truth in Advertising Act of 2014

Truth in Advertising Act of 2014 - Directs the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to submit a report to Congress that contains: (1) a strategy to reduce the use, in advertising and other media for the promotion of commercial products, of images that have been altered to materially change the physical characteristics of the faces and bodies of the individuals depicted; and (2) recommendations for a risk-based regulatory framework with respect to such use.

Requires the FTC to solicit input from external stakeholders and experts including, to the extent practicable, from: (1) stakeholders that are geographically and culturally diverse; and (2) experts from physical and mental health, business, and consumer advocacy communities.

[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4341 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4341

 To direct the Federal Trade Commission to submit to Congress a report 
    on the use, in advertising and other media for the promotion of 
  commercial products, of images that have been altered to materially 
  change the physical characteristics of the faces and bodies of the 
                         individuals depicted.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 27, 2014

 Ms. Ros-Lehtinen (for herself, Mrs. Capps, and Mr. Deutch) introduced 
 the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
                                Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To direct the Federal Trade Commission to submit to Congress a report 
    on the use, in advertising and other media for the promotion of 
  commercial products, of images that have been altered to materially 
  change the physical characteristics of the faces and bodies of the 
                         individuals depicted.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Truth in Advertising Act of 2014''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Advertisers regularly alter images used in print and 
        electronic media to materially change the physical 
        characteristics of models' faces and bodies, often altering the 
        models' size, proportions, shape, and skin color, removing 
        signs of ageing, and making other similar changes to models' 
        appearance.
            (2) An increasing amount of academic evidence links 
        exposure to such altered images with emotional, mental, and 
        physical health issues, including eating disorders, especially 
        among children and teenagers. There is particular concern about 
        the marketing of such images to children and teenagers through 
        distribution in teen-oriented publications, advertising 
        displayed in public places outside the home, and online media.
            (3) Such altered images can create distorted and 
        unrealistic expectations and understandings of appropriate and 
        healthy weight and body image.
            (4) The dissemination of unrealistic body standards has 
        been linked to eating disorders among men and women of varying 
        age groups, but it has a particularly destructive health effect 
        on children and teenagers.
            (5) Academic evidence has demonstrated a connection between 
        the use of very thin models in advertising and consumer 
        attitudes toward a brand based on such advertising, as well as 
        a material influence of the use of such models on consumer 
        purchase intent, conduct, and reliance.
            (6) In 2011, the American Medical Association adopted a 
        policy encouraging advertising associations to work with public 
        and private sector organizations concerned with child and 
        adolescent health to develop guidelines for advertisements, 
        especially those appearing in teen-oriented publications, that 
        would discourage the altering of photographs in a manner that 
        could promote unrealistic expectations of appropriate body 
        image.

SEC. 3. REPORT BY FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 18 months after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Federal Trade Commission shall submit to 
Congress a report that contains--
            (1) a strategy to reduce the use, in advertising and other 
        media for the promotion of commercial products, of images that 
        have been altered to materially change the physical 
        characteristics of the faces and bodies of the individuals 
        depicted; and
            (2) recommendations for an appropriate, risk-based 
        regulatory framework with respect to such use.
    (b) Input of External Stakeholders and Experts.--In preparing the 
report required by subsection (a), the Federal Trade Commission shall 
solicit input from external stakeholders and experts on the strategy 
and recommendations required to be included in such report. The 
Commission, in consultation with the Director of the National Institute 
of Mental Health and the Administrator of the Substance Abuse and 
Mental Health Services Administration, shall ensure that input is 
obtained from an appropriate number of stakeholders and experts and, to 
the extent practicable, from stakeholders and experts that are 
geographically and culturally diverse and that include stakeholders and 
experts from the physical and mental health, business, and consumer 
advocacy communities.
                                 <all>