Visual standards

How Boba.guide sources, edits and publishes images.

This policy explains how photographs, illustrations, diagrams and AI-assisted visuals may be created, licensed, credited, edited and used across Boba.guide.

Policy overview

What images may appear on Boba.guide?

Boba.guide may use original photography, commissioned work, licensed images, contributor submissions, brand-supplied media, screenshots, diagrams, illustrations and AI-assisted visuals. The appropriate source depends on the page’s purpose, the rights available and whether the image accurately represents the subject.

Every published visual should have a legitimate editorial or functional purpose. Decorative images may support atmosphere, but they should not replace clear written information or imply facts that the image cannot establish.

Image sources

Where may visuals come from?

Original photography

Images created by Boba.guide, its publisher, commissioned photographers or approved contributors.

Licensed libraries

Stock, editorial or creative assets used under a license that permits the intended publication and modification.

Contributor submissions

Photographs or illustrations supplied by writers, experts, readers or other contributors with sufficient usage rights.

Business-supplied media

Images provided by shops, brands, restaurants, event organizers or public-relations representatives.

Public or official sources

Government, institutional or other official media used where permission, license or applicable law allows.

AI-assisted visuals

Generated or edited imagery used when appropriate and reviewed under the standards in this policy.

Rights and permissions

What rights are required before publication?

  • Ownership or a valid license covering the intended use
  • Permission for editing, cropping or adaptation when required
  • Authorization for commercial website use where applicable
  • Appropriate model or property releases when reasonably necessary
  • Compliance with attribution, credit and usage restrictions
  • No conflict with confidentiality, privacy or contractual obligations
  • No removal of required watermarks or rights-management information

Publicly visible does not mean free to use

An image appearing on a website, social profile, map listing or search result is not automatically available for republication. Permission, a license or another valid legal basis may still be required.

Editorial accuracy

How should images represent boba content?

Relevant subject

The drink, topping, ingredient, tool or location shown should match the page’s actual subject.

Realistic preparation

Food and drink visuals should avoid unsafe handling, impossible textures or obviously incorrect preparation when accuracy matters.

Accurate ingredients

Images should not visually suggest ingredients, toppings or dietary qualities that the page does not support.

No false business identity

A generic or AI-generated shop image must not be presented as a photograph of a real named business.

No false product claim

Images should not imply that a product was tested, endorsed or supplied when that did not occur.

Clear illustrative context

When a visual is conceptual or illustrative, the surrounding page should not present it as documentary proof.

Editing

How may photographs be edited?

Images may be cropped, resized, compressed, color-corrected, sharpened or cleaned for clarity and consistent presentation. Minor edits may remove distracting dust, improve exposure or prepare an image for responsive display.

Editing should not materially misrepresent the amount of food, product condition, business environment, ingredient composition or result being discussed.

Material alterations

When does editing become misleading?

Adding products, changing labels, replacing ingredients, inventing a shop interior, altering a person’s actions or creating a false before-and-after comparison may mislead readers when presented as documentary photography.

Materially altered images should be used only when appropriate to the page and should not be described in a way that hides their illustrative or composite nature.

AI-generated images

When may AI-assisted visuals be used?

AI-assisted visuals may be used for illustrative drink concepts, ingredient arrangements, preparation scenes, decorative backgrounds, diagrams or other editorial purposes when they add value and do not create a false factual impression.

Generated images should be reviewed for incorrect ingredients, distorted utensils, unsafe preparation, impossible anatomy, misleading labels, copied branding and other visible errors.

AI imagery is not documentary evidence

A generated image should not be used to prove that a real shop exists, that a product was tested, that an event occurred or that a person endorsed Boba.guide.

Business and brand images

How are supplied promotional images handled?

Source identification

The sender should identify the owner, photographer or agency responsible for the supplied media.

Usage permission

The sender must have authority to permit website publication, editing and promotional use where requested.

Editorial discretion

Supplying an image does not guarantee that it will be published, featured or retained.

Promotional context

Brand-supplied images may be identified or contextualized when readers could otherwise mistake them for independent photography.

No automatic endorsement

Publication of a supplied image does not itself mean that Boba.guide endorses the business or product shown.

Removal or replacement

Images may be removed if rights expire, claims change, accuracy becomes uncertain or a valid concern is raised.

People and privacy

How are identifiable people handled?

Images of identifiable people should be used with appropriate permission, license or editorial justification. Extra care is required for children, private settings, sensitive situations and images that could create an inaccurate endorsement or association.

Boba.guide does not use facial recognition to identify unknown people in submitted photographs.

Trademarks and packaging

Can logos and branded products appear?

Logos, packaging and trademarks may appear for identification, review, comparison or reporting when appropriate. Their appearance does not imply ownership, sponsorship or endorsement unless expressly stated.

Branded visuals should not be altered in a way that creates a false claim or misrepresents the rights holder.

Credits and attribution

When are image credits shown?

Credits may appear in captions, nearby text, image metadata or another reasonable location according to the license, agreement and editorial context. Required attribution should not be intentionally removed.

Original Boba.guide images may not always display a visible credit when ownership is otherwise clear, but internal records should preserve source information.

Captions

What should a caption communicate?

A caption may identify the drink, ingredient, location, photographer, source, illustrative status or relevant limitation. It should not repeat decorative information that adds no value.

Captions should be accurate and should not make unsupported claims about the image or subject.

Accessibility

How are images made more accessible?

Alternative text

Informative images should include concise alternative text that communicates their relevant meaning or function.

Decorative images

Purely decorative visuals may use empty alternative text so assistive technology can skip them.

Text inside images

Important instructions or conclusions should also appear as regular page text rather than only inside a graphic.

Complex visuals

Charts, diagrams or detailed comparisons may require captions or nearby text explaining the essential information.

Link images

Images used as links should have accessible names that describe the destination or action.

No keyword stuffing

Alternative text should describe the image, not repeat search phrases that do not help a user understand it.

Submissions

What must accompany a submitted image?

  • The name and contact information of the submitter
  • The creator or rights holder
  • The proposed subject, page or use
  • The permission or license covering publication
  • Required credit wording
  • Any restrictions on editing, duration or territory
  • Disclosure of brand, employment or commercial relationships
Unsolicited materials

Does submission guarantee publication?

No. Boba.guide may decline, edit, crop, postpone or remove submitted material according to rights, relevance, quality, technical requirements and editorial need.

Do not submit images containing confidential information, private individuals without appropriate permission, visible personal data or material you are not authorized to share.

Reporting a concern

How can an image issue be reported?

Send a detailed message to info@boba.guide. Include the page URL, identify the image and explain whether the concern involves ownership, permission, attribution, privacy, accuracy or accessibility.

Rights claims should include supporting information showing your relationship to the image or rights holder.

Possible responses

Depending on the issue, an image may be credited, corrected, replaced, restricted, temporarily removed or left unchanged when the available evidence supports its use.