Public information is not blanket permission to republish
Consider purpose and current context before moving an appeal to another audience.
AI-assistedFinding a photograph or appeal online does not automatically make every later use appropriate. The original context, permission, current status, and new audience all matter. A search appeal is not a general license to turn someone's story into permanent promotional material.
Ask what changes with republication
A small local post may reach a much larger audience when copied onto another website. An old image may lose the date and source that explained it. A new caption may imply that the case remains active when nobody has checked.
The ICRC Family Links privacy policy notes that information copied to other sites or media cannot necessarily be changed by the original publisher. That is one reason to think about onward distribution before posting.
Check authority and purpose
- Who issued the original material?
- Is there permission or another appropriate basis for this use?
- Is the case status current?
- Can a link serve the purpose without copying the material?
- How will corrections and closure reach the new audience?
Do not interpret a visible image as permission for biometric analysis or training a model. Those are distinct uses with their own considerations.
Keep editorial content separate
A general guide can discuss good reporting practice without reproducing a real person's photograph, address, or case history. Use fictional placeholders for templates and label them clearly.
Wakif's blog is built around general guidance and product explanations. Real case details should only be handled through the relevant reporting, permission, and review process, not repurposed merely to create more searchable pages.