Media News - Wednesday, April 16, 2008

France targets anorexia in media

The French National Assembly has passed a groundbreaking bill which seeks to criminalise the promotion in the media of extreme thinness. The bill targets pro-anorexia websites and publications that encourage girls and young women to starve themselves. It will affect websites, fashion houses, magazines and advertisers. If approved by France's upper house, those found to have encouraged severe weight loss could be fined up to EUR 45,000 and face three years in prison. French Health Minister Roselyne Bachelot said the proposed law would help stop advice on how to become ultra-thin being spread through pro-anorexia sites on the internet. The law could also affect the fashion industry and magazine editors who publish photographs of extremely thin models. If the bill is passed by France's upper house, the Senate, in the coming weeks offenders could face jail sentences of up to two years and EUR 30,000 in fines. A three-year term and EUR 45,000 in fines could be sought against offenders if the incitement was found to have lead to death. The BBC's Emma Jane Kirby in Paris says that with 40,000 anorexics in France, many parliamentarians feel the law cannot come soon enough. (BBC News)

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