How much is too much?

The authors examine how the level, or degree, of alteration affects public attitudes toward a digitally manipulated news photo, photography in general, and news media. Through a quasi‐experimental design, 172 subjects were shown one of five versions of a news photograph. Results indicated that increasing levels of digital alteration led to lower credibility scores for the photograph. Credibility of photography and the news media in general were influenced more by age, income, and education than treatment. Familiarity with imaging software was linked to tolerance of the alterations.