This article is a production checklist, not legal advice or a promise of POPIA compliance. In South Africa, the organisation deciding why and how personal information is used should involve its information officer, legal team or privacy adviser. The important production lesson is to settle those decisions before the interface, signage and delivery journey are approved.
Explain the experience in ordinary language
A guest should understand that a photograph will be captured, processed to create a transformed portrait and delivered through the method agreed for that event. Short wording at the booth can introduce the process, with a fuller notice available where needed.
Avoid vague phrases such as “by participating you agree to all uses”. Portrait creation, digital delivery, a public gallery, campaign reporting and future marketing are not automatically the same purpose. If the brand wants more than the core experience, name it.
Separate the choices
Do not hide marketing permission inside the step required to receive a portrait. A clear journey might distinguish between:
- participating in the portrait experience;
- supplying contact information for digital delivery, where applicable;
- opting into future marketing;
- entering a competition; and
- allowing the brand to repost or use an image publicly.
The responsible team must decide which choices apply and how they are recorded. AI Booth does not publish a universal retention period, deletion timeframe or promise about model training because those depend on documented providers and the agreed campaign setup.
Use a responsibility matrix
| Decision | Brand or organiser | AI Booth / production supplier | Venue or agency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Define the purpose for collecting information | Approves and documents | Flags operational implications | Confirms campaign alignment |
| Approve notice and consent wording | Legal or information officer owns approval | Implements approved wording where scoped | Checks placement in the wider journey |
| Confirm processors, access and storage | Documents the agreed chain | Supplies relevant setup information | Records any additional platforms it introduces |
| Handle guest questions or deletion requests | Names the responsible contact and process | Routes requests as agreed | Ensures event staff know where to direct guests |
| Approve gallery or social use | Confirms audience, permission and access | Implements only the agreed delivery | Manages campaign publishing permissions |
This is a planning model, not a legal allocation of responsibility. Put the actual owners in the event brief and contract.
Decide what happens after capture
Before launch, answer these questions in writing:
- Who can access original and transformed images?
- Is any gallery private, restricted or public?
- How will a guest receive a digital file, and what information does that require?
- How long will each system retain files?
- Who handles an access, correction or deletion request?
- Will images be used in event recaps, paid media or social posts?
- Do any processing providers use supplied images for model training?
- What happens if a guest chooses not to provide marketing consent?
If the answers are not documented, do not fill the gaps with reassuring copy.
Plan for children and mixed audiences
An activation open to families needs a specific approach to children and guardians. The organiser should approve who may participate, what permission is required and whether public display or sharing is appropriate. Staff need a simple escalation path; they should not make legal decisions at the front of a queue.
Mixed-language or accessibility needs also affect consent. Use readable text, strong contrast and a screen layout that does not rely only on tiny legal wording. Provide a way for a guest to ask a question without feeling pressured to participate. A portrait experience should still be enjoyable for someone who declines optional data collection.
Collect less, explain more
Every additional form field creates friction and responsibility. If the objective is brand attention and a physical keepsake, the campaign may not need a lead from every participant. If lead generation is essential, explain the value exchange directly and collect only what the approved purpose requires.
These decisions should be part of how the activation is produced, not a notice pasted on at the end. For expos, where visitors move between many stands and offers, the expo and launch planning guide adds useful traffic context.
