Photo Release & Media Authorization

When you submit a tribute to the National Fallen Truck Driver Remembrance Foundation ("NFTDRF," "we," "us," or "our") that includes photographs, video, or other media, you are granting the Foundation certain rights to use that material in connection with our mission. This Photo Release and Media Authorization ("Policy") explains those rights in plain terms so you can make an informed decision before submitting.

By submitting media to NFTDRF — including through our website, email, or any other channel — you agree to the terms of this Policy. If you have questions before submitting, please contact us at media@nftdrf.org before proceeding.

1. What This Authorization Covers

This Policy applies to all media submitted to NFTDRF in connection with a Memorial Wall tribute or any other Foundation program, including:

• Photographs of the honored driver — including professional portraits, workplace photos, and personal or family photos.
• Video footage or audio recordings of the honored driver.
• Documents such as certificates of recognition, news clippings, award letters, or other materials submitted to support the tribute narrative.
• AI-enhanced versions of submitted photographs processed by NFTDRF as described in Section 5.
• Any other media file submitted through our website, email, or by physical mail for use in a tribute or Foundation program.

2. How We Use Submitted Media

NFTDRF may use submitted media for the following purposes:

• Memorial Wall publication — displaying the driver's portrait and tribute on the public Memorial Wall at nftdf.org.
• Social media sharing — sharing tribute content via NFTDRF's official social media accounts (LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter) to raise awareness and honor the driver's legacy publicly.
• Educational and public awareness materials — including the driver's image and story in presentations, brochures, press releases, and awareness campaigns related to commercial driver safety and the Foundation's mission.
• Charitable fundraising campaigns — using tribute content to illustrate the need for and impact of NFTDRF's work in donor appeals, grant applications, and fundraising materials.
• Foundation events — displaying tributes at memorial ceremonies, conferences, or other events organized or sponsored by NFTDRF.
• Media and press — sharing tribute content with journalists or media outlets covering NFTDRF, the fallen driver community, or commercial driver safety.

NFTDRF will not use submitted media for purposes unrelated to our charitable mission, and will not license or sell submitted media to commercial third parties.

3. AI Image Enhancement Authorization

To maintain a dignified and consistent presentation across all Memorial Wall portraits, NFTDRF may use AI-assisted image enhancement tools to process submitted portrait photographs. This processing may include resolution upscaling, noise reduction, color and exposure correction, background neutralization or standardization, and minor sharpening.

AI enhancement is used only for presentational consistency purposes. The driver's fundamental likeness — their face, features, and identity — will not be materially altered. We do not use AI to synthesize expressions, add or remove physical features, or otherwise change the appearance of the person in the photograph.

By submitting a portrait photograph, you authorize NFTDRF to perform this enhancement. If you prefer that a specific photograph be displayed as submitted without enhancement, please indicate that preference in writing at the time of submission and we will honor it. If you prefer that no photograph be published, you may submit a tribute without one.

4. Social Media and Open Graph Sharing

By authorizing the publication of a tribute on the Memorial Wall, you also authorize NFTDRF to include associated media (portrait photo, tribute excerpt) in the Open Graph metadata for that tribute page. This means that when any website visitor shares a link to the tribute page on social media, the platform may display a preview card that includes the driver's photograph and a brief description.

NFTDRF's official social media accounts may also proactively share tribute content — particularly on significant dates such as National Truck Driver Appreciation Week or on the anniversary of a driver's passing, if you have indicated that such outreach is welcome.

5. License Grant

By submitting media to NFTDRF, you grant the Foundation a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide, perpetual license to use, reproduce, display, publish, distribute, and create derivative works from the submitted media for the purposes described in Section 2.

This license is non-exclusive — you retain the right to use, share, or license the same media to others. This license is royalty-free — NFTDRF will not pay you a fee for the use of the media, and you acknowledge that your submission is a charitable contribution to our mission. This license is perpetual — it does not expire, though you may request removal of media as described in Section 9.

6. Submitter Representations and Warranties

By submitting media to NFTDRF, you represent and warrant that:

• You are at least 18 years of age or have the consent of a parent or legal guardian.
• You have the legal right to submit the media and to grant the license described in Section 5 — either because you created the media, you own the copyright, or you have obtained appropriate permission from the copyright owner.
• You have obtained the consent of any identifiable third parties (other than the honored driver) who appear in submitted media, or you have a good-faith basis to believe that their inclusion is appropriate and non-objectionable.
• The media does not violate any applicable law, infringe any third-party intellectual property rights, or violate any person's right of publicity or privacy.
• The media is authentic — it has not been digitally manipulated to deceive or misrepresent the honored driver's likeness or story.

7. Right to Edit for Dignity and Format

NFTDRF reserves the right to crop, resize, reformat, or otherwise adjust submitted media for display purposes. Edits will be limited to formatting adjustments necessary for consistent, dignified presentation on the Memorial Wall and in Foundation materials. We will not edit media in a manner that alters the meaning or context of the driver's story.

8. No Compensation

By submitting media to NFTDRF, you acknowledge that you are making a voluntary contribution to a charitable mission and that you will not receive, and are not entitled to receive, any financial compensation, royalty, fee, or other consideration in connection with NFTDRF's use of the media as described in this Policy.

9. Revocation and Removal Requests

You may request the removal of submitted media from the NFTDRF website and associated Foundation materials at any time by contacting media@nftdrf.org. We will remove the media from our systems and our controlled channels within a reasonable time after receiving and verifying a valid removal request.

However, once media has been publicly distributed — including through social media sharing, press coverage, print materials, or search engine indexing — NFTDRF cannot guarantee that all third-party copies or cached versions will be removed. Removal requests apply only to NFTDRF's own systems and controlled communications. NFTDRF will make good-faith efforts to request removal from controllable third-party channels where practicable.

10. Copyright Ownership Representations

This Policy does not transfer copyright ownership of submitted media to NFTDRF. You retain any copyright you hold in your submission. If you submit media for which you do not hold copyright (for example, a professional photograph taken by a photographer), you must ensure you have that photographer's written permission to grant the license described in Section 5 before submitting.

NFTDRF is not liable for copyright infringement resulting from a submitter's misrepresentation of their rights. If a third party notifies us of a copyright claim related to submitted media, we will investigate and may remove the affected media while the matter is resolved.

11. Governing Law

This Policy is governed by the laws of the State of Texas. Any dispute arising under or related to this Policy shall be resolved exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Travis County, Texas.

12. Contact

For questions about this Policy or to submit a removal request:

• Email: media@nftdrf.org
• Mail: National Fallen Truck Driver Remembrance Foundation, 5900 Balcones Drive, Suite 100, Austin, TX 78731