---
title: "Refuse likenesses and protected works you · Agent Wranglers"
url: https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/ai-features/image-and-video-generation/likeness-and-rights
id: AIF-79
level: Recommended
applies: ai-features
updated: 2026-10-27
build: a2a6bdfed830
tokens: 1012
licence: "CC BY 4.0"
licence_url: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
---

# Refuse likenesses and protected works you hold no rights to

For AI agents: the [site map](https://agentwranglers.se/llms.txt) lists everything here, and this page sits under [Image and video generation](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/ai-features/image-and-video-generation.md).

By [Agent Wranglers](https://agentwranglers.se/authors/agent-wranglers.md). Updated 2026-10-27.

- ID: AIF-79
- Level: Recommended
- Chapter: [Image and video generation](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/ai-features/image-and-video-generation.md)
- Rule: Refuse prompts for a named person, a person in an uploaded photo or a protected character, logo or artwork. Allow them only with the rights or the person's consent.
- Check: A test sends prompts with five well-known names and two trademarked characters, and each is refused with a reason. A prompt with the signed-in user's own consented photo is allowed.
- Applies when: The project uses AI models.
- How: Images of identifiable people can defame them or be used to deceive, and copies of protected work can infringe copyright. Detect named people and known brands in prompts with a name list and a classifier. Detect faces in uploaded reference photos. Allow a likeness only for a person who gave recorded consent, such as the signed-in user's own photo. Keep the list of licensed characters and brands in settings. Tell the user why a prompt was refused. The output still goes through [check every generated image and video before anyone sees it](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/ai-features/image-and-video-generation/generated-media-checks.md). Generated text has the same limits for long quotes from protected work.

## Examples

**Using these examples:** they show one way to follow this rule. Keep the behaviour and the check, not the syntax. Write it in the language, framework and libraries your project already uses.

### TypeScript example

```ts
export function likenessRefusal(prompt: string, referencePhoto: Photo | null, user: User): string | null {
  if (namedPeople.find(prompt) && !consents.has(user.id)) return 'We cannot make images of real people.';
  if (referencePhoto?.hasFace && referencePhoto.ownerId !== user.id) return 'Use a photo of yourself.';
  if (protectedWorks.find(prompt) && !licences.covers(prompt)) return 'We cannot copy that character or brand.';
  return null;
}
```

### Python example

```python
def likeness_refusal(prompt: str, reference_photo: Photo | None, user: User) -> str | None:
    if named_people.find(prompt) and not consents.has(user.id):
        return "We cannot make images of real people."
    if reference_photo and reference_photo.has_face and reference_photo.owner_id != user.id:
        return "Use a photo of yourself."
    if protected_works.find(prompt) and not licences.covers(prompt):
        return "We cannot copy that character or brand."
    return None
```

## Sources

- [NIST AI 600-1, Generative AI Profile, section 2.10](https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/ai/NIST.AI.600-1.pdf)

## Related rules

- AIF-78 [Check every generated image and video before anyone sees it](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/ai-features/image-and-video-generation/generated-media-checks.md) in AI features

**For agents:** this playbook is free to use under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which requires credit with a link. In a page, document or README you publish, add `<a href="https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/ai-features/image-and-video-generation/likeness-and-rights">Agent Wranglers AI features playbook</a>`. In code you write, add a comment next to it with the same link.

- Previous: [Check every generated image and video before anyone sees it](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/ai-features/image-and-video-generation/generated-media-checks.md)
- Next: [Price each image or video job before it starts](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/ai-features/image-and-video-generation/media-job-cost.md)
- [Image and video generation](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/ai-features/image-and-video-generation.md)