Illegally beautiful? The role of trust and persuasion knowledge in online image manipulation disclosure effects

The accessibility of powerful photo editing tools has caused image retouching and manipulation to become widespread among sponsored social media content. Images in sponsored posts featuring influencers are often edited to reflect unrealistic body proportions, potentially harming consumers if they compare themselves to unattainable beauty standards. In response to this trend, regulators in different countries have moved to consider or adopt disclosure policies; however, disclosure practices and their effects have not been extensively studied. An online experimental study (N = 480) identified that low- and high-detail disclosures of image manipulation lowered consumer trust. Decreased trust led consumers to use their persuasion knowledge, resulting in less favorable attitudes toward both the brand and influencer, reduced interest in seeking more information about the brand, and diminished body comparison. Finally, implications for various stakeholders, including content creators, brands, and policy-makers, are discussed.