Column | Asking Eric: Setting boundaries around AI images - The Washington Post

What the report says

The Washington Post’s “Asking Eric” advice column for July 24, 2026, addresses a family-boundary dispute involving artificial intelligence and personal photographs. The limited public description says the letter writer is uncomfortable with relatives or close contacts using AI tools to modify images of her and her children without first getting permission.

Because the full article text is unavailable, the exact circumstances, the columnist’s specific advice and any examples from the letter are not provided in the source material available for review. The core issue, as presented by the Post’s snippet, is consent: whether family members should ask before changing someone’s likeness, especially when children’s images are involved.

More broadly, the question reflects a growing etiquette and privacy concern as consumer AI image tools make photo editing, face swapping, stylized portraits and other alterations easy to produce and share. Even when changes are intended as playful or affectionate, they can raise concerns about control over a person’s image, children’s digital footprints and the spread of altered pictures beyond the original audience.

The column matters because advice forums often surface everyday versions of larger technology debates. In this case, the practical focus appears to be how a parent can set clear expectations with loved ones while navigating new AI-enabled behavior that existing family norms may not yet cover.