[wadiz] Transparency Report Vol. 19
#TRUST & SAFETY · Platform Operations Report — Vol. 19
From AI-generated images to broadcast content,
this week we took a close look at intellectual property issues.
Publication Date
August 31, 2026
Coverage Period
August 23 — August 29
Publication Frequency
Every Monday
Here are some cases identified by the Trust Team during monitoring this week.
[Case 1] “It was drawn by AI—can’t I use this?” — Potential intellectual property infringement involving AI-generated images
A project created and posted AI-generated comic-style images to introduce the Rewards, but we found that the art style and composition strongly resembled a specific comic or animation. Even if an image is generated by AI, if it has been trained on the art style or characters of a specific work and reproduces them similarly, it may infringe on the original work’s intellectual property rights. The same applies to faithfully reproducing the artistic style of a specific studio or artist, such as the recently trending “Ghibli-style” conversion. wadiz advised the project to regenerate the image using a style that does not evoke associations with any specific work.
💡 Important Note
When creating images with AI, please be careful not to directly enter the name of a specific artist or work into the prompt. If the result is substantially similar to the original work, it may infringe on intellectual property rights—a standard that applies regardless of whether the image was generated by AI. We recommend double-checking the similarity to the original work before posting.
[Case 2] “Can I just use images of athletes?” — Unauthorized Use of Portrait Rights and Program Names
We identified a baseball glove rewards project that featured images of specific baseball players and the names of TV programs in its Story. While contracts with the individual players were confirmed, permission to use the images and names of the TV programs was not verified. wadiz requested submission of the relevant usage agreements but was unable to obtain them due to concerns regarding personal information; consequently, we instructed the project to exclude the TV program names and images for which contracts could not be verified from the Story.
💡 Why shouldn’t specific players or programs be featured without permission?
To use a specific athlete’s image or name in product promotions, consent regarding the right of publicity and the right to use one’s name is required. Featuring an image or name without a confirmed contract with the athlete or their agency may constitute an infringement of the right of publicity or the right to use one’s name. Similarly, when using the name of a specific TV program, confirmation of an agreement with the relevant production company is required.
💡 What if you’re asked to submit a contract but can’t because it contains personal information?
In accordance with Article 16 (Confidentiality, etc.) of wadiz’s Maker Terms of Service, wadiz uses submitted documents only to the extent necessary for review or operations and does not disclose or reveal them to third parties. However, if submitting the contract is difficult, wadiz permits related statements only to the extent that the facts can be clearly verified; for content that is difficult to verify, wadiz applies a conservative approach and restricts the statements accordingly.
Go to Article 16 of the Maker Terms of Service →
Here’s a brief summary of this week’s issues.
This week, we focused on intellectual property and portrait rights issues. We carefully checked each case to ensure that AI-generated images did not resemble specific works and that athlete images or program names were not featured without a contract.
The reasoning is the same for both cases. Just because content is AI-generated or reuses existing material does not mean it can be used freely; therefore, we will continue to ensure that projects are created in accordance with legitimate rights.
Meanwhile, as these issues have recurred, new standards have been established for the presentation of Reward Details using AI-generated and合成 content. While the use of AI-generated and合成 content is permitted, key information that could influence a user’s decision to purchase Rewards must be based on actual facts; if there is a risk of misrepresentation, this may result in content revisions or the project being removed from display. For more details, please refer to the Maker Center announcement below.
Go to the Maker Center Announcement →
Go to the Maker Center Announcement →
Starting in September, the Transparency Report will be published biweekly in a new format, with the next report scheduled for September 14, 2026.
The Trust Team will continue to communicate transparently and work to build an environment where both makers and supporters can feel secure.
The Trust Team will continue to communicate transparently and work to build an environment where both makers and supporters can feel secure.
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