The tension between digital content creators and AI tools added an unusual chapter that left many with headaches. It all started when Japanese illustrator TAKA shared a beautiful fanart of Kanade Yoisaki, but never imagined his post would become the scene of a ridiculous debate about copyright limits and social media policies.

A user took TAKA’s original illustration without permission, processed it via an AI image generator, and posted the modified version directly in the original drawing’s comment box. Upset by the disrespect to his work, the artist reported the post to the platform moderators. To his surprise and that of many other artists, the official response stated that the generated image did not violate any site rules.

Without support from the social network, TAKA decided to act on his own and publicly called on his colleagues to massively block the responsible account, aiming to prevent the individual from repeating the same action with other creators. The initiative quickly backfired on the illustrator, as several users warned him that promoting a coordinated block also violates the platform’s rules. Hours later, the artist had to post an apology for inciting rule-breaking, though fortunately, the comment author eventually deleted the generated image after the uproar.

Project Sekai: Colorful Stage! feat. Hatsune Miku is a popular mobile rhythm game released in 2020 that combines original character groups with the Vocaloid universe. The story follows different musical groups as they navigate emotions and personal conflicts with iconic songs and interactive stories that have captivated a huge community of illustrators worldwide.

Within the game’s plot, Kanade Yoisaki stands out, the composer and leader of the musical unit known as 25-ji, Nightcord de. Kanade is a reserved and solitary student who spends most of her time locked in her room creating online music, driven by a deep desire to compose songs capable of saving suffering people. Her signature light hair and melancholic expression make her one of the most beloved characters by artists sharing their works online.

What do you think about the platform’s stance on the unauthorized use of illustrations to train and publish AI-generated content?