Why There Are No Photos of George
People sometimes ask why there are no photos of George on this site, especially since so many of the ideas behind our apps, and much of what drives my work, come directly from life with him.
It’s a fair question.
George has shaped almost everything I do. Many of our projects, particularly the ones aimed at helping children with complex needs, wouldn’t exist without what I’ve learned from being his dad. But George also lives in a world that he can’t fully understand or consent to, and that changes what feels right when it comes to privacy.
The internet doesn’t forget. Once an image is out there, it’s impossible to pull back, and that means George could appear in contexts he’d never have chosen for himself. Even though he wouldn’t mind right now, he can’t really know what it means to share a photo, or how people might use it.
So instead of showing George, I talk about him and when I need a picture for the blog, I use an AI 3D rendering of a character who looks similar, but not the same. I describe moments, ideas, and lessons he’s taught me, and build the apps that those lessons inspire. The goal is to share what he’s helped me understand, not to show him himself.
If you’re curious about the thinking behind that choice, I’ve written a short policy called the Ethical Use of Likeness and Personal Inspiration Statement. It sets out how Perpendicular Monkey approaches privacy, consent, and respect for those who inspire our work.
George deserves dignity, not display, and if there’s one principle I want to keep at the heart of everything we make, it’s that.
Finally, why AI? This is also a fair question and I fully understand why many people have negative feeling around the use of generative AI for images. The simple truth is I do not have the artistic skills to draw George myself, and I don’t have the budget to hire an artist. So I made the choice to put George’s dignity first and utilise the tools I have to hand, namely generative AI.
