AP lifts temporary ban on photos from US military

The suspension began last week after the Army released a "digitally manipulated photo of the US military's first female four-star general," the second of such incidents by the Army in the last two months.  The AP eliminated both from its service.

The AP has "strengthened its internal procedures" by ensuring the integrity of photos from outside sources.  Images are "closely examined" by at least two editors in photo-editing program Photoshop.  

Typically, if there's doubt about the "integrity" of an image, the AP will not use it--however, if a photo has been altered and is still used, the AP attaches a caption as to why the photo was changed.

Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said that military branches are required by the Department of Defense to not alter photographs if doing so "misrepresents the facts or the circumstances of an event."

The regulation does not prohibit editing, cropping or enlarging a photo to "improve its quality," or for security or privacy reasons.

Source:  Poynter