DELETE A BACKGROUND? EASY. SMOOTH OUT A FACE? SEAMLESS. DIGITAL PHOTO MANIPULATION IS NOW MAINSTREAM
AppleMagazine|AppleMagazine #646
It’s been a common refrain when seeking proof that someone’s story or some event actually took place: “Pics, or it didn’t happen.”
DELETE A BACKGROUND? EASY. SMOOTH OUT A FACE? SEAMLESS. DIGITAL PHOTO MANIPULATION IS NOW MAINSTREAM

But in a world where the spread of technology makes photo manipulation as easy as a tap on your phone, the idea that a visual image is an absolute truth is as outdated as the daguerreotype. And a photo can sometimes raise as many questions as it was meant to answer.

That was seen in recent days when controversy descended upon an image of Kate, Princess of Wales, and her three children. News agencies including The Associated Press published, then retracted, the image given out by Buckingham Palace over concerns it had been manipulated, leading to Kate saying on social media that she occasionally “experimented” with photo editing.

In that, she’s hardly alone.

From something that was time-consuming and required a great deal of technical expertise in the days of actual film and darkrooms, digital editing has become something practically anyone can do, from adding filters to cropping images and much more. Apps abound, offering the easiest of experiences in creating and retouching photos and videos which can then be easily transmitted online and through social media.

“Cover blemishes and let the real you shine through,” says an ad for the smartphone app Facetune. “Remove and change backgrounds instantly,” the Fotor app’s website enthuses. “Our AI object remover is ready to assist you in getting rid of unwanted objects.”

This Wild West of image-altering abilities is opening new frontiers for everyday people — and creating headaches for those who expect photos to be a documentary representation of reality.

THE MAINSTREAMING OF MANIPULATION

この記事は AppleMagazine の AppleMagazine #646 版に掲載されています。

7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。

この記事は AppleMagazine の AppleMagazine #646 版に掲載されています。

7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。

APPLEMAGAZINEのその他の記事すべて表示
BIG OFFSHORE WIND PROJECT PROPOSED FOR NEW YORK AS OTHER SITES ARE EVALUATED IN 3 STATES
AppleMagazine

BIG OFFSHORE WIND PROJECT PROPOSED FOR NEW YORK AS OTHER SITES ARE EVALUATED IN 3 STATES

Offshore wind energy projects in New York, New Jersey and Maryland are moving forward, as federal regulators examine the proposals and opponents escalate their legal challenges to the work.

time-read
2 分  |
October 25, 2024
HONG KONG BARS SERVICES LIKE WHATSAPP AND GOOGLE DRIVE FROM GOVERNMENT COMPUTERS
AppleMagazine

HONG KONG BARS SERVICES LIKE WHATSAPP AND GOOGLE DRIVE FROM GOVERNMENT COMPUTERS

The Hong Kong government is barring most civil servants from using popular apps like WhatsApp, WeChat and Google Drive on their work computers due to potential security risks.

time-read
1 min  |
October 25, 2024
KUWAIT BANS 'CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPS 6' VIDEO GAME LIKELY OVER IT FEATURING SADDAM HUSSEIN IN 1990S
AppleMagazine

KUWAIT BANS 'CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPS 6' VIDEO GAME LIKELY OVER IT FEATURING SADDAM HUSSEIN IN 1990S

The tiny Mideast nation of Kuwait has banned the release of the video game “Call of Duty: Black Ops 6,” which features the late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and is set in part in the 1990s Gulf War.

time-read
1 min  |
October 25, 2024
JUDGE DELAYS ORDER IN ANTITRUST CASE REQUIRING GOOGLE TO OPEN UP ITS APP STORE
AppleMagazine

JUDGE DELAYS ORDER IN ANTITRUST CASE REQUIRING GOOGLE TO OPEN UP ITS APP STORE

A federal judge delayed an order requiring Google to open up its Android app store to more competition until an appeals court decides whether to block the shake-up because of legal questions surrounding a jury’s verdict that branded Google as an illegal monopolist.

time-read
2 分  |
October 25, 2024
LOCAL NEWS SOURCES ARE STILL DRYING UP, BUT THERE'S GROWTH IN DIGITAL SITES IN METRO AREAS
AppleMagazine

LOCAL NEWS SOURCES ARE STILL DRYING UP, BUT THERE'S GROWTH IN DIGITAL SITES IN METRO AREAS

Newspapers in the United States closed at the rate of more than two per week during 2023, but a burst of activity among digital entrepreneurs illustrated some tiny shoots of growth in what has become a desert-like climate for local news.

time-read
2 分  |
October 25, 2024
NETFLIX'S SUBSCRIBER GROWTH IS SLOWING, BUT ITS PROFIT AND STOCK PRICE ARE STILL SURGING
AppleMagazine

NETFLIX'S SUBSCRIBER GROWTH IS SLOWING, BUT ITS PROFIT AND STOCK PRICE ARE STILL SURGING

Netflix reported that its subscriber growth slowed dramatically during the summer, a sign the huge gains from the video-streaming service’s crackdown on freeloading viewers is tapering off.

time-read
2 分  |
October 25, 2024
US FINES AMERICAN AIRLINES $50 MILLION OVER MISHANDLING OF DISABLED PASSENGERS AND WHEELCHAIRS
AppleMagazine

US FINES AMERICAN AIRLINES $50 MILLION OVER MISHANDLING OF DISABLED PASSENGERS AND WHEELCHAIRS

The U.S. government fined American Airlines $50 million for failing to provide wheelchair assistance to passengers with disabilities and damaging thousands of wheelchairs over a five-year period.

time-read
2 分  |
October 25, 2024
PELOTON PLANS TO SELL ITS DELUXE STATIONARY BIKE AT COSTCO TO REACH HOLIDAY SHOPPERS
AppleMagazine

PELOTON PLANS TO SELL ITS DELUXE STATIONARY BIKE AT COSTCO TO REACH HOLIDAY SHOPPERS

Peloton plans to sell its deluxe stationary bike at Costco this holiday season as the struggling connected-exercise company seeks to broaden its customer base.

time-read
2 分  |
October 25, 2024
CARBON REMOVAL INDUSTRY CALLS ON U.S.GOVERNMENT FOR REGULATION IN NEW INDUSTRY REPORT
AppleMagazine

CARBON REMOVAL INDUSTRY CALLS ON U.S.GOVERNMENT FOR REGULATION IN NEW INDUSTRY REPORT

The unregulated carbon dioxide removal industry is calling on the U.S. government to implement standards and regulations to boost transparency and confidence in the sector that’s been flooded with billions of dollars in federal funding and private investment.

time-read
3 分  |
October 25, 2024
GOFUNDME BETS SOCIAL MEDIA CAN UNLOCK GEN Z GIVING.A META PARTNERSHIP AND NEW TOOLS WILL TEST THAT
AppleMagazine

GOFUNDME BETS SOCIAL MEDIA CAN UNLOCK GEN Z GIVING.A META PARTNERSHIP AND NEW TOOLS WILL TEST THAT

New GoFundMe tools will make it easier to circulate causes across online platforms in a push to cater toward younger generations.

time-read
3 分  |
October 25, 2024