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A controversial new trend has seen businesses across the United States begin offering retouching services so parents can control blemishes and whiten their children's teeth in school pictures.
The trend was captured on Twitter by user Jenn Greene after she noticed there was an option to add retouching to her child's photo package by the company that was hired by her child's school to take photos.
In talking to the New York Post, Greene said that she "completely disagree[d]" with offering the option to retouch a child's school photos.
"Because it's teaching kids that they need to look perfect all the time and that they can change [a perceived flaw] with the click of a mouse."
Most people, in replying to the topic on Twitter, agreed that while a forced retouch would be a problem, a choice of extra pay for retouch doesn't seem like all that bad an idea.
"When I was in high school I had a sty in my eye on senior picture day," wrote one user.
"They retouched it and you couldn't even tell! I was so glad."
Still, those who have paid for minor retouches have gotten photos back with changes they neither wanted nor authorized.
For example, one mom found, to her horror, the retoucher had edited out the child's hearing aids.
@thesedeafkidsrock Maybe it was the lighting with new ear molds? #sahm #sahd #mom #deaf #hearingaids #asl #schoolphoto #photoediting #greenscreen
And so even though the service may not have been problematic at face value, it certainly got more problematic when viewers could see the job the service was actually doing.
@thosedeafkidsrock/TikTok
@thosedeafkidsrock/TikTok
@thosedeafkidsrock/TikTok
@thosedeafkidsrock/TikTok
So, buyer beware.
Even if you think the service may only edit out your child's dark circles, they might edit out something about them you love or think makes them special as well as negatively affect your child's self image.