Israeli Law Ends the Use of Thin Models in Advertisements

Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

1. skinny (adj.) [skin-ee] – very thin

Example: Her niece eats only crackers so she is skinny.

2.  prohibit (v.) [proh-hib-it] – to stop something from being done or used

Example: Parents must prohibit their children from watching too much television during school days.

3. disorder (n.) [dis-awr-der] – an illness that causes a part of the body to stop functioning correctly

Example:  She is suffering from a mental disorder that makes her afraid of people.

4. compensation (n.) [kom-puhn-sey-shuhn] – a payment for damage or trouble done on someone

Example: Customers who received damaged products asked for compensation.   

5. deterrent (n.) [dih-tur-uhnt, -tuhr-, -ter-] -  a thing that makes someone less likely to do something

Example: The presence of police is a deterrent against robbery.

Article
Read the text below.

Skinny models are now a thing of the past in Israel after the country passed a law which prohibits advertisers from using overly thin models. Under the new law, known as the Photoshop Law, models with a body mass index (BMI) lower than 18.5 cannot appear in ads. The law also demands that advertising agencies include a notice on each advertisement if they have used digital methods to make models appear thinner. The Israeli parliament’s Research and Information Center said that each year, around 1,500 Israeli children and teenagers suffer from eating disorders, causing worry among parents and lawmakers. According to the data, media images of models who look unhealthy have shaped the concept of beauty among young Israelis and have led to their wanting to be very thin.  Although advertisers who violate the law are not considered criminals, the law allows parents to demand compensation from advertising companies if the parents believe that some ads influenced their children to have eating disorders.  Lawmakers believe the law in itself can serve as a deterrent against further harm to the health of young people. While many people from the modeling industry are happy with this development, some argue that the law is unfair to models that are naturally thin but healthy, as the law prevents these models from getting jobs.

Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor. 

Discussion A 

·         How can advertisements affect people?

·         Do you think advertisements influence the choices you make when you buy? Please explain your answer.

Discussion B

·         Should the government prohibit the showing of advertisement with skinny models during children's TV programs? What do you think about this?

·         How can adults protect young people from misleading advertisements? 

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