An Australian media network apologized Tuesday to an Australian female politician for publishing a digitally altered image of the politician late Monday.
9News Melbourne published the altered image of Australian MP Georgie Purcell, 31, in “a graphic error” on its Monday night bulletin in a story on duck hunting, the organization’s director Hugh Nailon said in the statement of apology. Purcell shared both the altered and original images on Twitter — with the altered image depicting her as having somewhat enlarged breasts and wearing a midriff-revealing top.
“Note the enlarged boobs and outfit to be made more revealing. Can’t imagine this happening to a male MP. What gives?” Purcell said in part in the tweet.
I endured a lot yesterday.
But having my body and outfit photoshopped by a media outlet was not on my bingo card.
Note the enlarged boobs and outfit to be made more revealing.
Can’t imagine this happening to a male MP.
What gives? pic.twitter.com/NhnkDRMidc
— Georgie Purcell (@georgievpurcell) January 29, 2024
“Our graphics department sourced an online image of Georgie to use in our story on duck hunting,” Nailon said in the statement.
“As is common practice, the image was resized to fit our specs. During that process, the automation by Photoshop created an image that was not consistent with the original. This did not meet the high editorial standards we have and for that we apologise to Ms Purcell unreservedly,” Nailon added.
“Any changes to this image would have required human intervention and approval,” Adobe, the parent company of Photoshop, swiftly rebutted, The Guardian reported.
“The so-called ‘apology’ from 9News for this doesn’t cut it. Blaming ‘Photoshop automation’ for the blatant sexualisation of Georgie Purcell’s image is a cop-out,” Purcell’s Animal Justice Party (AJP) tweeted. (RELATED: Deepfake Porn Images Of Taylor Swift Enrage Fans: ‘How Is This Not Considered Sexual Assault?’)
Purcell, a sustainable environment and animal rights campaigner, became a parliamentarian in Dec. 2022, her bio on the AJP’s website noted.
Purcell, Australia’s youngest parliamentarian, spoke in her inaugural parliamentary speech about her past as a sex worker and stripper during her university years, news.com.au reported.
She also was a victim of daily online sexual abuse comments, death threats and photoshopping, she told 7News Australia.
“[L]et’s think about the message that that sends, particularly to young women. The distorted images that women see day after day … mostly on social media … We know this is a contributing factor to anxiety and mental health challenges,” Victoria‘s Premier Jacinta Allan told reporters in her criticism of 9News Melbourne, Sydney Morning Herald reported.