Responsible use
Reference Images and Image Rights
A technically successful image can still be harmful or unlawful. Responsible prompting begins before generation: verify the source material, the subject’s consent, the intended context, and whether a reasonable viewer could be deceived about what happened in reality.
01
Consent and recognizable people
Use your own likeness or obtain permission from the person shown. Never use a reference to create sexual, humiliating, fraudulent, threatening, or otherwise exploitative material. Extra caution is required for minors; do not create or share sexualized or dangerous depictions of children under any circumstances.
Public availability is not the same as permission. A photo found on social media may still be protected by privacy, publicity, and copyright rules.
02
Privacy by minimization
Upload only what the generation needs. Crop out documents, addresses, badges, device screens, bystanders, and location clues. Review the chosen model provider’s retention, training, deletion, and sharing controls before sending sensitive material.
Do not put private identifiers, medical information, account data, or confidential business material into prompts or comments. Generated outputs can also reveal information from the source image, so inspect them before publishing.
03
Copyright, trademarks, and creative references
Describe visual characteristics you need—lighting, palette, era, material, composition—rather than relying on a living artist’s name as a shortcut. Do not upload images you lack the right to reproduce or distribute. Logos, characters, packaging, and trade dress may create additional restrictions, especially in commercial use.
When publishing a prompt or sample image, provide honest provenance where known. A generated-by label describes the tool used; it does not transfer ownership or guarantee that every element is cleared for every use.
04
Avoid deceptive presentation
Do not present a synthetic event, endorsement, product result, or person as real when that could mislead viewers. Use clear disclosure when context matters. Do not create fake documents, evidence, impersonation, or material intended to manipulate civic, financial, medical, or safety decisions.
If an image is editorial, satirical, fictional, or a concept mockup, label it in a way the intended audience can understand.
05
Publish with an audit trail
Keep the prompt version, source permissions, generated-by tool, material edits, and publication date. Respond to correction or takedown requests promptly. Promptgena submissions are subject to community rules and moderation, but the person uploading content remains responsible for having the necessary rights.
- Confirm rights and consent before upload.
- Minimize personal and confidential information.
- Describe provenance accurately.
- Review outputs for harm, deception, and unintended sensitive details.
- Respect correction, removal, and platform reporting processes.

