This is operational hygiene—not legal advice.
When to run it
- Client delivery
- Paid ads / packaging / app store screenshots
- Stock or marketplace upload
- Investor or press materials
- Anything with a real person’s face or a famous brand
Skip it only for private experiments you will never ship.
Section A — Tool clearance
| # | Check | Pass? |
|---|---|---|
| A1 | I know which tool(s) and model version produced each asset | ☐ |
| A2 | I am on a plan tier that allows commercial use for this output type | ☐ |
| A3 | I skimmed current terms for bans (resale, competition, voice, marketplace) | ☐ |
| A4 | I saved a note of terms date / plan in the project folder | ☐ |
| A5 | Plugins/LoRAs/checkpoints I used are licensed for this use | ☐ |
If any A item fails, stop and fix licensing before aesthetics.
Section B — Third-party IP and people
| # | Check | Pass? |
|---|---|---|
| B1 | No deliberate copy of a protected character, logo, or artwork I do not hold rights to | ☐ |
| B2 | No celebrity/influencer likeness without a deal or clear license | ☐ |
| B3 | No competitor packaging that could confuse buyers | ☐ |
| B4 | Employee/model releases obtained if real photos were used as references in ways that require them | ☐ |
| B5 | Fonts in the finish are properly licensed (AI-drawn fake type was replaced) | ☐ |
Section C — Truth and product accuracy
| # | Check | Pass? |
|---|---|---|
| C1 | Product shape/features are not misleading vs the real SKU | ☐ |
| C2 | UI screens are real or clearly illustrative—not fake claims | ☐ |
| C3 | Before/after claims are honest if used in marketing | ☐ |
| C4 | Testimonials/reviews were not invented by a model | ☐ |
Especially important for product hero stills.
Section D — Client and employment
| # | Check | Pass? |
|---|---|---|
| D1 | Contract allows AI assistance (or client approved in writing) | ☐ |
| D2 | Disclosure requirements in the brief/MSA are met | ☐ |
| D3 | Employer/IP policy checked if this is W-2 or work-for-hire context | ☐ |
| D4 | Revision policy does not imply infinite free regeneration | ☐ |
| D5 | Delivery package includes source notes client expected | ☐ |
Section E — Platform rules
| # | Check | Pass? |
|---|---|---|
| E1 | Destination platform AI disclosure rules followed | ☐ |
| E2 | Music/voice licenses cover the upload platform | ☐ |
| E3 | Ad network / store creative policies reviewed for the category | ☐ |
| E4 | Thumbnail/crop still honest after platform UI chrome | ☐ |
Section F — Finish and quality (commercial bar)
| # | Check | Pass? |
|---|---|---|
| F1 | Artifacts that scream “broken AI” are fixed or regenerated | ☐ |
| F2 | Typography was set in a design tool when needed | ☐ |
| F3 | Color/export settings match medium (web/print/social) | ☐ |
| F4 | Audio ducked/mixed if motion (video, audio) | ☐ |
| F5 | Brand consistency holds across the set | ☐ |
Commercial use includes not looking careless.
Section G — Archive (future disputes)
| # | Check | Pass? |
|---|---|---|
| G1 | Brief saved | ☐ |
| G2 | Prompts + seeds/settings saved | ☐ |
| G3 | Final masters named and versioned | ☐ |
| G4 | Non-AI sources listed (photos, stock, fonts) | ☐ |
| G5 | One-line postmortem written | ☐ |
Go / no-go rule
- Ship only if A–G are pass or explicitly N/A with a written reason.
- Hold if any A or B item is fail.
- Escalate to counsel if higher-risk tiers apply (real people, famous IP, regulated claims).
Risk tiers are outlined in rights & licensing.
60-second version (emergencies only)
- Commercial plan?
- No stolen IP/likeness?
- Client allows AI?
- Platform OK?
- Archive exists?
If you cannot answer yes, do not ship “real quick.”
Team ritual
Agencies: make this checklist a pull-request template for creative delivery. Art directors sign the critique; producers sign the commercial gate. Taste without clearance is incomplete professional work.
Related workflows
- Creative workflow system — production stages
- Prompt iteration patterns — improve quality before legal panic
- Mistakes creators make
- About
Published by Tabaconda LLC, Florida, USA. Not legal advice.
Pre-publish commercial checklist (printable)
Use this as a gate before you deliver files to a client or ship paid ads.
- Rights chain — who owns the brief, inputs, model weights policy, and final files?
- Model license — commercial use allowed for your plan tier this month? Screenshot the terms date.
- Training data risk — any client confidential material fed into a public model? If yes, stop and use private/enterprise.
- Likeness — any real person? Need release or switch to fully synthetic.
- Trademarks — logos, product packaging, protected characters? Remove or license.
- Output audit — scan for third-party watermarks, UI chrome, or brand text the model invented.
- Editability — client gets layered or raw masters if contracted, not only flattened JPG.
- Disclosure — if platform or contract requires AI disclosure, put it in the invoice packet.
- Archive — prompt seeds, version IDs, and delivery hashes stored 12+ months.
- Indemnity — written statement of what you warrant vs what the client accepts.
“Red / yellow / green” delivery labels
| Label | Meaning | Ship? |
|---|---|---|
| Green | Checklist complete; low external IP risk | Yes |
| Yellow | Minor unknowns (style similarity, generic stock feel) | Ship with note |
| Red | Likeness, trademark, or confidential data risk | No |
Related: Rights & licensing · Client delivery.
Published by Tabaconda LLC, Florida, USA.
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