AI-Generated Content Policy
The Lampshade of ILLUMINATION: Publishing and Conduct Guidelines
Practical tips to improve ethical and legal standards for AI-generated content on Medium
Dear Writers,
Evading AI’s reach has become an impossible feat, given its exponential growth into a multi-billion dollar industry that permeates across all sectors, including content development.
So, if you are a new writer and looking to diversify your writing portfolio, explore AI-generated content, and use AI tools to improve your writing and editing responsibly, we have a solution. In this post, we introduce our new publication, the Lampshade of ILLUMINATION.
Illumination Integrated Publications has created a unique opportunity for writers who can leverage AI tools in their writing.
Our editorial team has noticed a growing interest among writers in using AI tools to improve their writing and explore its endless possibilities.
However, readers of Illumination Integrated Publications only wanted to read human-generated content. We value and respect their preference for human-generated stories. We analyzed the situation and created a viable solution.
We also believe in diversity and opportunities for writers to explore emerging technologies. That’s why we have created a separate publication called the Lampshade of ILLUMINATION, which allows for AI-generated content.
Illumination Integrated publications were established based on diversity, inclusion, synergy, and serendipity principles on 19 March 2020.
Since then, our flagship publication, Illumination, has significantly impacted writers and readers on this platform. Our publications now serve 21,000+ writers.
On March 19, 2023, coinciding with the 3rd anniversary of ILLUMINATION, we announced and commissioned this groundbreaking publication.
As the first of its kind on Medium, we have created clear guidelines and practical tips to support our writers in creating exceptional AI-generated content.
If you are not a writer with our publications yet, you may apply by sending your Medium ID via this weblink.
So, writers, seize this unique opportunity to diversify your writing portfolio and join us in exploring the exciting world of AI-generated content.
Check out our policy and guidelines to get started on this thrilling journey! Many writers have started contributing to the Lampshade of Illumination on Medium, opening a new chapter on this platform.
Please check some published stories on the Lampshade of ILLUMINATION.
Purpose of These Guidelines
Artificial intelligence is exponentially growing. This growth poses some risks to society.
AI is a useful tool but prone to misuse and abuse. Artificial superintelligence is a particular concern, as articulated by our chief editor in a story last year: Artificial Intelligence Does Not Concern Me, but Artificial Super-Intelligence Frightens Me.
In a recent story, our editor Aiden (Illumination Gaming) informed us that senior leaders in the industry propose a pause to such speed as they see them as risky. You might check the details in a post titled Tech Giants Are Begging AI Developers to Slow Down.
Due to these reasons, we created clear guidelines for AI-generated content to protect our writers and readers. Please note that these guidelines are not a substitute for legal advice.
We explain the guidelines under seven sections to make them digestible. All writers of our publication, the Lampshade of Illumination, must adhere to these rules to be published timely, to protect their profiles, and to delight our readers.
Here is the summary of our policy for Illumination Integrated Publications.
AI-Generated Content Policy
Stories submitted to Illumination Integrated Publications listed below should follow this policy statement guideline:
Your story content must be human-generated and original, as validated by various tools our editors use and make an assessment. However, it is OK to use AI tools to do your research and edit your content with those tools as long as you are the author of the content. Stories not meeting this guideline will not be accepted in our publications except for our new publication, “Lampshade of Illumination,” designed to support AI-Generated content.
ILLUMINATION Integrated Publications include:
ILLUMINATION ILLUMINATION-Curated ILLUMINATION’ S MIRROR ILLUMINATION Book Chapters Technology Hits SYNERGY Readers Hope Illumination Videos and Podcasts Illumination Gaming ILLUMINATION’s Blog Lampshade of Illumination EUPHORIA by Dr Mehmet Yildiz
Please check our other submission guidelines if you want to contribute to those publications.
Recently Updated Submission Guidelines
Publishing and Conduct Guidelines for the Lampshade of ILLUMINATION
AI-Generated Content Development and Publishing Guidelines for the Lampshade of Illumination
In this section, we provide the policy statement for this publication as a heading, explain the reasons, and provide practical tips.
1 — Disclose that the content is AI-generated.
As a writer for our publication, you must provide transparency to our readers by clearly disclosing that an AI system has generated the content they are reading.
This is important to maintain our readers’ trust and provide them with the necessary information to make informed decisions.
Disclosing that the content is AI-generated is also important because it helps readers understand that humans do not necessarily create it.
They accept the risks of machine-generated content. B doing so, readers can adjust their expectations and interpretation of the content accordingly.
We must be transparent with readers because it demonstrates our commitment to honesty and integrity in our reporting.
By being transparent and upfront about using AI technology in generating the content, we can help our readers understand the nature of the content they consume, its limitations, and its potential biases.
Transparency is also critical to avoid legal issues from using AI-generated content.
In some cases, especially in books or high-impact articles with societal implications, failing to disclose that an AI system generates the content could be seen as deceptive or misleading, potentially leading to legal action or reputational harm.
We can disclose that the content is AI-generated clearly. This can be done through a statement at the beginning of the article or the end.
For example, “This article or book chapter was generated using artificial intelligence technology.”
2 — Don’t misrepresent the content.
The AI-generated content should accurately reflect the information that it is intended to convey.
Don’t manipulate the content to push a particular agenda or bias.
If the content includes information that is not factual, clearly mark it as such and provide an explanation.
As a writer for our publication, you must produce accurate and trustworthy AI-generated content.
In addition, it is important that the content accurately reflects the information intended to be conveyed and that it is not manipulated to push a particular agenda or bias.
This is critical to maintaining your content's integrity and our readers' trust.
In cases where the content includes information that is not factual, it should be clearly marked as such, and an explanation should be provided.
This is especially important in cases where false information could harm individuals or groups. By providing clear and accurate information, readers can make informed decisions based on facts.
In addition to maintaining accuracy, we must ensure that our AI-generated content is free from biases and agenda-pushing.
The content should be based on factual information, not slanted toward any particular perspective or agenda.
Any information perceived as biased should be clearly labeled and explained.
By adhering to these guidelines, our writers can ensure that our AI-generated content is accurate, unbiased, and trustworthy.
3 — Use proper attribution.
If the AI system uses content from other sources, make sure to properly attribute that content.
This includes quotes, images, and other media. Failure to properly attribute content could result in copyright infringement.
Attribution is a critical component of ethical and legal content creation, as it acknowledges the contributions of others and protects their intellectual property rights.
When AI systems incorporate content from other sources, proper attribution must be given to the original authors to avoid any claims of plagiarism or copyright infringement.
Therefore, all writers must ensure that the AI-generated content properly attributes any external sources of information, including quotes, images, and other media.
This means providing clear and accurate information about the source of the content, such as the author’s name, publishing date, and title of the source.
In some cases, obtaining permission from the original author or copyright holder may be necessary to use their content.
Failure to properly attribute external sources of information in AI-generated content can lead to legal consequences, including accusations of copyright infringement or plagiarism.
Such accusations can result in costly legal battles.
Therefore, all writers must ensure that proper attribution is given to external sources in AI-generated content to protect the integrity of the content and avoid any potential legal issues.
4 — Use caution with sensitive topics.
AI-generated content that covers sensitive topics such as politics, religion, or social issues requires special care and consideration to ensure the content is accurate, respectful, and free from bias.
As a writer for our publication, it is important to recognize the potential impact such content can have on our readers and the broader community.
When creating AI-generated content on sensitive topics, writers must exercise caution and avoid making statements that could be perceived as inflammatory, derogatory, or discriminatory.
Such statements can lead to legal issues and can damage your professional reputation.
In addition to legal issues, inflammatory or derogatory statements can negatively affect our readers and the community.
Such statements can spread misinformation, stoke division and conflict, and cause harm to vulnerable populations.
Therefore, it is important that writers approach sensitive topics with care and sensitivity and strive to present information in a clear, balanced, and respectful manner.
This includes avoiding aggressive, derogatory, or discriminatory language and ensuring that all information presented is accurate, supported by reliable sources, and presented in a way that respects all viewpoints.
By taking these steps, writers can help ensure that AI-generated content on sensitive topics is informative and responsible while avoiding any potential legal issues and protecting the reputation of your content and our publication.
5 — Watch out for unsubstantial claims.
This policy aims to ensure the accuracy and integrity of our publication’s content, particularly in areas critical to our readers' well-being.
Therefore, we require all writers to follow the guidelines below:
Health, finance, and vulnerable topics
When covering topics related to health, finance, or vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, or disabled people, writers must exercise extra care and diligence.
It is important to provide accurate and reliable information based on credible sources.
Therefore, all claims made in the content must be supported by reputable and trustworthy sources.
Credible sources
Writers must ensure that any claims made in their content are linked to credible and reliable sources.
This is especially important when making claims related to health, where inaccurate or misleading information can have serious life consequences.
Therefore, writers must provide links to studies, research, or expert opinions from reputable sources to support their claims.
Avoid generalized conclusions
Writers must refrain from making generalized conclusions about health and mental health issues.
Instead, they should present the information accurately and nuancedly, highlighting the topic's complexities.
Wrong financial advice
Writers must ensure their content does not provide wrong or misleading financial advice.
Financial information must be based on accurate and reliable sources and presented clearly and understandably.
Advice to vulnerable people
Writers must exercise caution and sensitivity when providing advice to vulnerable groups such as children, teenagers, the elderly, or disabled people.
Any advice given must be based on accurate and reliable information and should prioritize the safety and well-being of the individuals concerned.
Writers must also avoid making any statements perceived as discriminatory or offensive.
6 — Comply with privacy laws.
As a writer for our publication, it is important that you understand and comply with privacy laws that govern the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information.
These laws, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), are designed to protect the privacy rights of individuals and ensure that their personal information is used only for legitimate purposes.
If the AI system you use collects user data, you must disclose how it is used and obtain the user’s consent before collecting it.
This means providing clear and concise information about the purposes for which the data is collected, the types of data collected, and any third parties with whom the data may be shared.
In addition to obtaining consent, compliance with privacy laws also requires implementing appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect the security and confidentiality of personal data.
This may include using encryption to protect data in transit and at rest, limiting access to personal data to authorized personnel only, and regularly monitoring and auditing the use of personal data.
Failure to comply with privacy laws can lead to legal action by regulatory authorities, including fines and other sanctions.
Additionally, non-compliance can damage your reputation and erode your readers' trust.
Therefore, all writers must ensure that the AI system is compliant with privacy laws, disclose how user data is used, and obtain user consent before collecting it.
By doing so, you can protect the privacy rights of your readers and customers, avoid potential legal issues, and maintain the trust and confidence of your audience.
7 — Be aware of potential copyright issues.
If the AI system uses copyrighted material, ensure you have the proper permissions or licenses to use that material.
Failure to do so could result in legal action.
Copyright is a critical component of intellectual property law that protects the rights of content creators and ensures that their work is not used without their permission.
As a writer for our publication, you must be aware of potential copyright issues that may arise when creating AI-generated content.
If the AI system uses copyrighted material, such as images, videos, or written content, proper permissions or licenses must be obtained to use that material.
Failure to do so can lead to legal action by the copyright holder, including claims of infringement and demands for damages.
Therefore, all writers must ensure that any copyrighted material used in AI-generated content is properly licensed or permission has been obtained from the copyright holder.
This may involve obtaining a license from a stock image or video site, contacting the copyright holder directly for permission, or using only material in the public domain.
In addition to potential legal issues, copyrighted material without permission can damage your professional reputation.
Please uphold the highest standards of ethical and legal content creation and that you respect the rights of others in the content you produce.
In terms of story photos, we accept AI-generated images as long as you own the rights and they are correctly captioned with the statement,
“Image created by AI tool XYZ — the author has the provenance and copyright.”
You can check our image policy for details.
How to Create a Disclaimer in Your Stories
Here’s an example of a disclaimer that could be included at the beginning of an AI-generated article:
“Disclaimer: This article was generated using artificial intelligence technology. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information presented, the content may not be 100% factual.
Some of the content may have been sourced from other websites and properly attributed. I make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability, or availability with respect to the article or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained in the article for any purpose.
Therefore, any reliance you place on such information is strictly at your own risk.”
You can customize this text in your style.
Conclusions
By taking these steps, you can ensure that AI-generated content is both legally and ethically sound while avoiding any potential legal issues and protecting the reputation of your content.
When using generative AI, pay attention to misinformation, manipulation, privacy, security, legal and ethical issues.
We strongly recommend you use AI tools and human review to edit your content even if your content is AI-generated. Stories not meeting this guideline will not be accepted in any of our publications.
Failure to comply with our guidelines could result in the removal of content or termination of the writer’s privilege to participate in our publications.
We take these guidelines seriously to protect our writers and expect contributors to follow the highest standards of accuracy and integrity in their work.
Thank you for joining this exciting journey, and we look forward to hosting and promoting your stories.
If you are a new writer on Medium, please consider using this checklist to increase the quality and the chance of your stories being distributed and boosted by Medium.
Please feel free to provide feedback on this post. We value your opinions and suggestions.
This policy and relevant guidelines were approved by Dr Mehmet Yildiz chief editor of Illumination Integrated Publications on Medium, and the architect of the Lampshade of Illumination publication on Medium.
If you are a new writer joining our publication, you need to review the general guidelines in our onboarding pack. Please pay attention to the photo handling policy, as it is our most painful point delaying the publishing process.
Our Other Policies
Every writer contributing to our publications must review these guiding policies before submitting their stories. We are tolerant, but these are non-negotiable rules.
Recently Updated Submission Guidelines
ILLUMINATION Videos and Podcasts: Submission Guidelines 2023
Publishing and Conduct Guidelines for the Lampshade of ILLUMINATION
Here are our latest curated collections by ILLUMINATION, ILLUMINATION Amplifiers, and ILLUMINATION-Curators for your enjoyment.
You can learn about our editors’ backgrounds from this collection.
You may also check the bios of writers from their pens.
Curated Writer Bios
Learn about contributing writers of ILLUMINATION written by their pen
medium.com
Writing Challenges and Prompts
Helpful Resources for Writers and Readers
Starter Kit for Writers of ILLUMINATION Integrated Publications
Improving the Quality of Writing Using an Editorial Checklist
Five Tips to Become a Prolific Writer Despite Full-Time Work
Invitation to New Writers
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