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Participant
August 26, 2022
Question

P:Limitation of Adobe Generative AI user guidelines [merged thread]

  • August 26, 2022
  • 192 replies
  • 123488 views

Hello Adobe and its collective users

I am writing to you not only as a devoted user of Adobe’s suite of creative tools but also as a professional photographer whose work has been recognized and displayed in museum settings. My specialization in classic nudes has allowed me to explore the human form in a manner that celebrates beauty, form, and artistic expression. However, I have encountered a significant challenge with the AI restrictions placed on editing images that contain nudity, even when such images are created within a professional, artistic context.

 

As an artist whose work often involves nuanced and sensitive subjects, I understand and respect the complexities of creating ethical AI tools that serve a wide user base. However, the current limitations significantly impact my creative process and professional workflow, particularly when it comes to editing backgrounds for nude or semi-nude images. These restrictions not only prolong my work but also inhibit my artistic expression, compelling me to seek alternative solutions that may not offer the same level of quality and integration as Adobe’s products.

 

I propose the consideration of the following points, which I believe could benefit both Adobe and its professional users:

 

Artistic Integrity and Professional Use: Recognition of the professional and artistic context in which tools are used can help differentiate between content that is genuinely creative and that which the restrictions aim to prevent.

 

Ethical Use Policy: An ethical use policy that accommodates professional artists and photographers, possibly through a verification process, ensuring that our work is not unduly censored while maintaining legal and ethical standards.

 

Custom Solutions for Professionals: The development of specialized software versions that allow more flexibility for editing sensitive content, with appropriate safeguards to prevent misuse.

 

Feedback and Advisory Panel: Establishing a panel of professionals from the art and photography community to provide ongoing feedback and insights on how Adobe’s tools can better serve creative professionals.

 

Transparent Guidelines: The creation of clear, transparent guidelines that navigate the legal and ethical landscape, especially regarding sensitive content, to ensure users can understand and comply with Adobe’s policies.

 

I am fully committed to engaging in a constructive dialogue and am willing to be part of a solution that respects both the creative needs of artists and the ethical considerations of digital content. I believe that by working together, we can find a balanced approach that supports artistic expression while adhering to shared values and responsibilities.

 

Thank you for considering my perspective on this matter. I am hopeful for an opportunity to discuss this further and explore how we can make Adobe’s tools even more inclusive and accommodating for professional artists and photographers.    Steven Williams 

192 replies

Stephen Marsh
Community Expert
Community Expert
November 10, 2024

@Robritt69 

 

I’m just an end user like you, I am not Adobe and I am not an Adobe employee. I was just mistakenly chiming in with what I believe was the reasoning behind Adobe's stance. You are free to use other tools.

Participating Frequently
November 3, 2024

Generative fill community guidelines have always been restrictive. But recently, they've gone completely overboard. 
For contextI mainly us AI for creating/improving backgrounds.  
It started out giveing me issues with anyone. Male or female. In bathing suits. Which in my opinion is a bit much.  So I started using a top layer painting over the 'excessive' skin so it  would work.   This was fine for a month or two. 
Recently, it's gone completely overboard.  Mainly because I had to start covering more an more of the subject.  Today. it just became unusable. 
I have a couple in a chair. Nothing special. Absolutely nothing showing that would put it beyond a PG rating.  But 'community guidelines' keeps interefering. 
Attached is the photo in question. I even tried covering all the exposed skin. All of it. Including their faces. Again, community guidelines. This is censorshio gone crazy. 
I covered their faces for privacy. 
Does anyone have a suggestion for a competing AI generator that is actually usable? 
 

Monika Gause
Community Expert
Community Expert
November 3, 2024

Generate the background you want and then use Photoshop to put them into it.

Participating Frequently
November 4, 2024
That's not a viable option. I'm using it specifically because it will add
shadows. Place light sources in the correct location for the way my lights
have been set. Add things relatively seamlessly to the body. Such as
wings, horns, halo's, etc.
Just using it for creating stand alone backgrounds is as much or more
trouble than going back to making composites manually.
As it stood. This was a very usable replacement for composites. As it is
now. If my subject, male or female. Has any amount of skin showing. Adobe
censorship shuts it down.
The censorship is way too strict.
theARTofDARK
Participating Frequently
October 23, 2024

Sehr oft werden bei der Nutzung von zb. "generativ erweitern" in Photoshop  meine Bilder (stilvoller Akt und auch blickdicht bekleidet) von der Ki abgelehnt und nicht bearbeitet mit Hinweis auf "Richtlinien" Ich verstehe nicht warum eine Ki sich beleidigt/diskriminiert fühlen kann wenn sie um ein Haupmotiv zb die Wiese erweitern soll. (oder werden die Bilder anderweitig genutzt?) Meine Aktfotgrafenkollegen und ich bezahlen für diesen Dienst und dieser wird nicht ausgeführt bzw. verweigert! Mit welchem Recht schreibt Adobe mir vor welche Bilder ich im Programm bearbeiten kann und welche nicht? Ausdrücklich: es handelt sich um stilvolle AktBilder und auch um Bikini/ dessousbilder! (und wenn es andere wären , wäre dies auch nicht Aufgabe von Adobe dies zu kritisieren!  Grüße von einem eigentlich sehr begeisterten und von Anfang an der Cloud zugehörigen AdobeNutzer

droopydog500
Community Manager
Community Manager
October 23, 2024

Hello @theARTofDARK,

Thank you for your message. I am sorry you are having this problem. 

Some people have found that masking part of the image in Photoshop allows them to extend the image and they can then remove the mask.

My best,
    droopy

Adobe Community Expert (not an Adobe employee)
StarssonAuthor
Participant
October 5, 2024

Today, October 5, 2024, I attempted to combine two images using AI generation, but it refused to process them. I contacted an Adobe technician, and they confirmed that there was no violation. However, they explained that AI censorship was preventing it. Could you please review the images and let me know if you see anything vulgar? Adobe, you are going to lose customers and great clients. Others are taking off their restrictions on AI.

 

 

Nancy OShea
Community Expert
Community Expert
October 5, 2024

Why do you think you need AI to combine (composite) two images?

 

Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert
amaralcreative
Participant
September 19, 2024

Does any know if the 'FireFly' restriction is perminant or termporary?

 

 

Kevin Stohlmeyer
Community Expert
Community Expert
September 19, 2024

@amaralcreative if you mean the Generative User Guidelines. Those are not temporary.

https://www.adobe.com/legal/licenses-terms/adobe-gen-ai-user-guidelines.html

 

Participant
September 9, 2024

I completely agree with your perspective, Steven. I fully share your frustration as a longtime Photoshop user since the mid-1990s, spanning 34 years. Photoshop became the gold standard for photo editing largely because of its role in the fashion industry, where enhancing the human form was accepted and celebrated. What I find troubling is that Adobe’s software, once intended for private use, is now subjected to overreaching censorship that treats our personal workspaces as if they were public forums.

If this were a community space like Discord, where content moderation is necessary to protect a wider audience, I’d understand. But that’s not the case here. This feels like "Big Brother" AI moderation, applying an overly cautious and highly subjective lens to what should be private, professional work. Even though we agree to their terms of service, these restrictions feel borderline offensive, particularly when Photoshop became what it is today by supporting industries that relied on its ability to edit the human body—most notably, fashion marketing. How can Adobe be held liable for what users create in their own private spaces? It’s a flimsy excuse.

If Adobe’s concern is backlash from extremist groups, they are caving to the pressure of a vocal minority that shouldn't have a say in the creative work of professionals. The company should stand up for the artists and photographers who have remained loyal for decades. The fact that I’ve had innocuous items like flesh-toned vases flagged, or client photos of swimwear restricted from AI tools due to arbitrary censoring, is absurd and quite frankly, infuriating. We’re talking about a shoulder or a curve—basic elements of photography and art. 

I recognize the potential dangers of AI misuse, and yes, there will always be those who exploit technology. But restricting advanced editing features for professionals—who have been using this software for decades—undermines our workflow and stifles creativity. Rather than weaponizing censorship against its most devoted users, Adobe should be championing the advancements of AI to make our lives easier.

Perhaps a waiver or verification process could be implemented for professional artists, fashion retouchers, and photo editors, but at the core, this is private-use software, and Adobe’s promise of "creating anything" in their advertising should mean exactly that—with no arbitrary restrictions.

The slogan 'Unleash your creativity with AI art generation' is misleading; the reality is closer to 'Release your family-friendly creativity with AI art generation.' But let’s be honest, that doesn’t sell software.

Stephen Marsh
Community Expert
Community Expert
September 9, 2024

The data storage and processing is being performed on Adobe's servers.

Participant
August 20, 2024

Yes right I agree to you.Adobe should remove their hard restriction.

Atanu Roy
Participant
August 10, 2024

Eu pago essa [cursing removed] de programas da Adobe para editar minhas fotos de conteúdo adulto. E essa [cursing removed] de programa conservador do [removed by moderator] não quer deixar eu subir minhas fotos. Pago quase 300,00 por mês e não tenho direito de usar como quero. Nem tem como cancelar o contrato com a Adobe 

Participant
August 8, 2024

pouraais y avoir une ia qui ddetecter le corp humain et la vrais nudité mais asser intelligente pour pouvoir y aajouter une simple riviere en bas de la photo qui est un simple boudoir respectueux a limite bloquer des mot pour les boudoire comme en rapport avec vetement ou nue ou peuix importe mais quand cest marquer riviere de pas bloquer ca serais quandd meme utile

Kevin Stohlmeyer
Community Expert
Community Expert
August 8, 2024

@Michael39071337soxw you could temporarily mask or cover the areas the AI is hung up on to add your river etc. then unmask/restore those layers.

Participant
August 8, 2024
Do you have a tutorial to hide the person as you just told me because I don't think I know how to do it 😕😕
Kevin Stohlmeyer
Community Expert
Community Expert
August 8, 2024

@hectorblg the terms are very well defined and you agreed to them when you click the initial screen when using any Firefly AI enabled feature:

 

https://www.adobe.com/legal/licenses-terms/adobe-gen-ai-user-guidelines.html

Kevin Stohlmeyer
Community Expert
Community Expert
August 8, 2024

Note: Moved to Adobe Firefly forum. This is not a Photoshop-specific topic. Firefly terms apply to all tools and "censoring".