Liquid has announced that we will no longer be partnering with influencers who use filters to edit their faces or bodies for brand campaigns, in a bid to address the issues social media has on mental wellbeing. 

This move follows the UK government introducing a new law, forcing influencers and brand spokespersons to disclose edited content to consumers. 

A recent study by London’s City University found that 90% of young women surveyed would edit pictures to reshape their nose or jaw, brighten their teeth, or alter their waist before posting on social media, as they felt pressured to present a perfect image of themselves online.  

Speaking of the move, David Colcombe, COO at Liquid, said: 

”Mental health is extremely important at Liquid and, working day-to-day in the social media sphere, we understand how much of a negative effect it can have on mental health, especially for young people.

”Seeing edited photos on social media feeds can be detrimental to mental health, as it causes people to aspire towards an appearance which simply isn’t real or achievable. As an agency, we have a duty of care and want to make people aware of the negative consequences that can arise from influencers presenting unrealistic images of themselves to their followers.

”Ultimately, we hope that our move sparks a change in the world of influencer marketing. More importantly, we hope that, by presenting authentic images of influencers, our social media channels will be a more positive environment and our audiences will feel less pressure to change their appearance and look a certain way.’’ 

The ban will be implemented from 1 May onwards and influencers hoping to work with Liquid will undergo an audit. Aspects such as brightness and exposure can still be edited, but there cannot be any changes to the subject’s face or body.