# Ethical Guidelines

> These guidelines apply to instructing AI tools to generate output that impersonates or mimics a specific person's style, voice, or persona.

- Skill: `tools-only/ethical-guidelines` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 3 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add tools-only/ethical-guidelines`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/tools-only/ethical-guidelines/raw
- Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS)
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: tools-only (https://skillmd.com/u/tools-only)
- Updated: 2026-09-29
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/tools-only/ethical-guidelines

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# Ethical Guidelines

These guidelines apply to **instructing AI tools to generate output that impersonates or mimics a specific person's style, voice, or persona**. This includes prompt instructions, system prompts, skill definitions, and any other configuration used by tools in this repository.

Mentioning a person by name for other purposes (e.g., giving credit, referencing authorship, citing contributions) is perfectly acceptable and not covered by these guidelines.

## What Is Not Allowed

Using a real person's name or identity to instruct an AI to replicate their style, voice, or persona. For example:

- "Create a commit message just like Jane Doe would write it"
- "Explain this in the style of [person's name]"
- "Write code review comments the way [person's name] does"

## What Is Allowed

Describing the specific qualities you want directly, without referencing a person as a proxy:

- "Create a commit message that is direct, technically precise, and focused on the rationale behind changes"
- "Explain using clear analogies, a sense of wonder, and accessible language for non-experts"
- "Write code review comments that are encouraging, constructive, and focus on collaborative improvement"

Referencing people by name for factual purposes:

- "This module was originally authored by Jane Doe"
- "Credit John Smith for the bug fix in the changelog"

## Rationale

1. **Consent**: Individuals have not consented to have their identity or persona used in AI-generated content
2. **Misrepresentation**: AI cannot accurately replicate a person's unique voice, style, or intent
3. **Intellectual Property**: A person's distinctive style may be protected
4. **Dignity**: Using someone's identity without permission diminishes their autonomy

## Best Practices

When you identify a desirable characteristic (clarity, brevity, formality, humor, etc.), describe it explicitly rather than using a person as a proxy. This ensures consent, prevents misrepresentation, respects intellectual property, and maintains dignity.