Before posting a handover photo on a website or social account, confirm its public use and the corresponding authorization. The need for acceptance photos, a customer's willingness to stand beside the car and a photo saved on a salesperson's phone do not individually establish permission for unrestricted publicity. Manage business records and public material separately.
The Colombian SIC's guidance on processing photographs for advertising states that advertising use of relevant personal photographs involves prior, explicit and informed authorization and explanation of purpose. Local compliance personnel need to confirm specific authorization documents, cross-border transfers and request handling. This article offers no general legal exemption.
One Handover Can Produce Photos for Different Purposes
Acceptance photos may need to record vehicle condition, supplied items and receipt details clearly for authorized staff handling the transaction. Publicity photos are intended for public display and generally do not need contract details or complete identity information. List the shots required for each purpose before photographing, rather than searching business records afterward for publishable pictures.
An image without people still needs checking. License plates, papers on the glass, screen notifications, key tags and bystanders in reflections can disclose information that should not be public. Check the actual finished image and its caption, not just the subject the photographer intended.
Dealerships can favor vehicle details, handover areas and scenes without personal information. If a customer declines a public group photo, complete the handover normally. Do not tie publicity authorization to services already agreed.
Match Authorization Information to the Actual Publication Plan
Explain who will use the images, the intended channels and purposes, and how to contact the responsible person. Do not say the photos are only for dealership updates and then give them to an advertising agency or another partner for a different use.
| Prepublication Check | Information Staff Need | Action When Information Is Missing |
|---|---|---|
| Identifiable people | Who appears and how the corresponding authorization is obtained | Suspend use of that image and choose material without the person concerned |
| Publicity channels | Dealership website, social accounts or specified partner publication scope | Confirm any additional purpose with the responsible person first |
| Image content | Plates, documents, labels and other identifying details | Produce a checked public version |
| Customer contact | Channel for inquiries or rights requests | Identify the responsible person before entering the publication process |
For children, companions or other customers at the scene, do not assume the purchaser's signature covers everyone. Have local professionals check the processing basis and any special requirements. Where these cannot be confirmed, use an image without the people concerned.
Store Originals and Public Versions Separately
When producing public material, keep originals in controlled storage and create separate versions suitable for publication. After masking plates or cropping images, recheck reflections, thumbnails, album previews and captions so the same information is not exposed elsewhere.
Do not describe editing as eliminating every identification risk. Even after removing a name, a face, location and caption together may identify the customer. The publication owner should review the actual result for the intended channel, rather than approving it because the filename says it has been processed.
When engaging an outside photographer, specify file delivery, permitted use, personnel access and handling of remaining copies. Completing the shoot does not give the photographer permission to place handover photos in a commercial portfolio. Copyright in the work and use of personal information need separate checks.
Find Every Placement When a Customer Requests Removal
Record the request and relevant photos without making the customer list every previously published link. Use the dealership's own publication records to locate website posts, social accounts and material supplied to partners, then arrange handling under applicable requirements.
Removing one social post does not establish that all copies have disappeared. Record actual results for content the dealership controls and continue following up with outside platforms or partners. Do not promise a deletion scope that cannot be verified.
When asking Starvia Automotive about specification, supply or delivery, first prepare questions without the end customer's personal information. If business records genuinely need to be transferred, check authorization and applicable handling arrangements. A basic model inquiry does not require a customer group photo or complete identity document.
FAQ
If the customer asks for a group photo, can it be used directly in an advertisement?
Willingness to pose and authorization for advertising need separate confirmation. Explain the intended purpose and channels, then obtain the corresponding authorization under applicable requirements.
After blurring the plate, must information about people still be checked?
Yes. Faces, captions, documents and other identifying details may still concern customers or bystanders. Checking plates alone is insufficient.
If the photographer owns the copyright, what else must the dealership check?
Separately check personal information use, customer authorization and the purposes agreed by both parties. Ownership of photographic copyright alone does not establish compliant advertising use.
Should the dealership promise immediate removal from the entire internet?
Do not promise an unverifiable scope. Receive the request promptly, handle content within your control and honestly explain the follow-up status with partners and external platforms.
Send vehicle and business questions through the Starvia contact page or WhatsApp. Determine whether customer records are needed for the actual matter, and avoid attaching unnecessary personal information to an inquiry.
References: Colombian SIC guidance on processing photographs for advertising. Specific authorization and data handling arrangements require verification against applicable local requirements. Information checked on: 2026-09-04.