The 1982 cover photo of the Pyramids of Giza taken by Gordon Gahan that was altered using early digital photo processing sparked a “deserved firestorm” and lost National Geographic some serious credibility. This kicked off a debate over ethical practices in photojournalism and whether audiences can trust the images they see in the media as we entered the digital age. National Geographic initially defended the decision to alter the photo arguing that the cover is a graphic item and the image is purely esthetic, but the altered version also appeared inside the magazine. Following the scandal, National Geographic learned their lesson and in a 2016 article recalled that it’s “never okay to alter a photo”.