Usage Policy
Last updated: 16-03-2026
GhostViewer is a free web-based tool for creating before-and-after visual comparisons of places, buildings, vehicles, and objects over time. This policy sets out what GhostViewer is designed for, and what it must not be used for.
What GhostViewer Is For
GhostViewer is intended for comparing places, buildings, structures, vehicles, and objects across time. Intended uses include:
- Documenting how a building, street, or neighbourhood has changed over the years
- Showcasing a vehicle restoration project (before and after)
- Exploring local and family history using historical photographs
- Personal family projects — for example, comparing a grandparent at a location decades apart, where the individuals involved have given their consent
- Educational projects comparing historical and modern views of a location
- Architectural and heritage documentation
- Creating engaging social media content for history, restoration, or photography communities
What GhostViewer Must Not Be Used For
The following uses are strictly prohibited:
Comparisons of People
- GhostViewer must not be used to compare images of people without their knowledge and consent
- It must not be used for before/after comparisons related to weight, appearance, age, or any physical characteristic where the subject has not consented
- It must not be used in any way that could body-shame, humiliate, or demean any individual
Personal and family use: Comparing photographs of a willing family member across time — for example, a grandparent at the same location decades apart — is a legitimate and touching use of GhostViewer, provided the individuals photographed are aware and consenting.
Harassment and Defamation
- GhostViewer must not be used to create content intended to harass, intimidate, or harm any individual or group
- It must not be used to create defamatory imagery or false representations of any person
Deception and Misinformation
- GhostViewer must not be used to create deliberately misleading imagery
- This includes fabricating false historical records, creating fake evidence, or producing content designed to deceive viewers about what genuinely existed or occurred at a location
- AI-generated, restored, or otherwise digitally manipulated photographs must not be presented as genuine historical records without clear disclosure that the image has been altered
Illegal Content
- GhostViewer must not be used to process, combine, or distribute any imagery that is illegal in your jurisdiction
- This includes any content involving minors in an inappropriate context
Your Responsibility for the Images You Use
You are solely responsible for ensuring that:
- You have the legal right to use any photographs you upload
- You are not infringing the copyright of a photographer, archive, or image library
- You have appropriate permission to use photographs of privately owned property where applicable
- Historical photographs sourced from archives or collections are used in accordance with their licence terms
By default, GhostViewer processes images locally in your browser. If you choose to use cloud project saving, GhostViewer stores project data and project images in your account storage so you can reopen and continue later. This does not affect your responsibility for the content you choose to process or share.
Sharing and Attribution
When sharing GhostViewer creations publicly — on social media, in publications, or on websites — we ask that you:
- Credit GhostViewer where possible, for example: “Created with GhostViewer — app.ghostviewer.co.uk”
- Credit the source archive or collection for any historical photograph you have used, in accordance with that archive’s own attribution requirements
This is an expectation rather than a legal requirement for personal use, but it helps build a respectful community around shared history and ensures that archives and collections receive recognition for preserving the photographs that make GhostViewer possible.
How This Policy Is Referenced in the App
This policy is kept light and unobtrusive. You will not be asked to read it before using the tool. It is referenced in the app via:
- A single line in the app footer: “Use responsibly — Usage Policy”
- A brief mention during account creation/sign-in
- A one-time cloud storage consent confirmation before using saved projects
- Supporting helper text in project save and restore areas
The full policy lives at ghostviewer.co.uk/docs/terms-usage-policies/ghostviewer-usage-policy/usage-policy/ for those who need it.
Privacy
GhostViewer processes alignment/export images locally in your browser by default.
If you choose to use saved projects:
- Project data and project images are stored in your account cloud storage so you can reopen work later
- Access is intended to be private to your account, with admin access permitted for service operations, moderation, abuse prevention, and support
Location data is only used when you explicitly choose location-related features (for example, tapping Use my location or entering a location for Geograph search). GhostViewer does not continuously track your location in the background.
If you enable capture backup while using Ghost Guide Camera, an image copy is saved/shared to your device using your browser/device save flow.
If you create a GhostViewer account, your email address and usage data are stored securely in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
Enforcement
GhostViewer reserves the right to suspend or terminate accounts found to be in breach of this policy. While the tool is free and open to use, we take the responsible use of image technology seriously.
If you believe GhostViewer content is being used inappropriately, please contact us via ghostviewer.co.uk.
Summary
GhostViewer is built for places, not people. History, not harm.
Use it to document, celebrate, and share the story of buildings, streets, vehicles, and landscapes across time — and where people are part of that story, with their knowledge and consent.
This policy forms the basis of the Terms of Use published at ghostviewer.co.uk/terms
