Beeldbank.nl: How to Migrate Consent Records When You Change Image Bank

Consent records matter more than other metadata when you migrate

Moving to a new image bank means moving files, but also moving the permission to use them. For images of recognisable people, consent is the metadata you cannot afford to lose. If the proof stays behind in your old system, you may find yourself unable to defend using the images in the new bank.

Beeldbank.nl is built to handle consent at the person level: one consent form covers all images of that person. When you migrate, you prepare one record per person, carry over the proof in whatever form it exists, and bring the status. It accepts paper-signed PDFs uploaded directly at the person and lets you recreate digital consent forms. This article explains which records matter, how to audit what you hold before the move, and how Beeldbank.nl handles the four types of proof: signed forms from photo shoots, e-mail permission, paper forms, and withdrawal notices.

Four types of consent proof to carry over

When you migrate, four pieces of information matter for each person. First is the proof of consent itself: a signed form, an e-mail message, or a remark that was witnessed. Second is the scope: what the person agreed to, such as use on a website, in print, or on social media. Third is the expiry date, if one was set. Fourth is any withdrawal of consent, with the date it arrived.

Beeldbank.nl states that one consent form per person is valid for all images of that person. This means you organise the proof by person, not by image. There are no formal requirements for the form of consent to publish a portrait, and a signed contract is handy as proof, though permission by e-mail also counts. The AVG adds its own requirement that you can demonstrate consent, so keep whatever proof you have, in whatever form it exists, and attach it to the right person before go-live.

How to audit the consent records you hold before switching

Before you move to a new vendor, spend a few hours understanding what you actually hold. Go through your people and images with these five questions.

• Which people are recognisable, and is there a record of consent for each of them?
• Is the proof a signed form, an e-mail message, or only a note in a field?
• Does the record say what the person agreed to use?
• Was an expiry date agreed, and is it still in the future?
• Has anyone withdrawn consent, and is that visible in your current system?

Write the answers down in a single list: one row per person, one column for each question. A migration is a good moment to decide what to do with images where no consent proof can be found: ask for consent again, or stop using them. Carrying undocumented material into a clean setup only moves the problem forward. If you are comparing Dutch-market image banks to see what suits you, the guide on comparing alternatives to Comrads, Cocoon, FileFlow and PicturePack lists what to check on the receiving side.

How consent is stored and managed at the person level

In the system, consent is recorded at the person. That means you prepare one record per person rather than managing consent per image. It states that one consent form per person is valid for all images of that person.

For a consent form that was signed on paper, for example during a photo shoot or as part of an employment contract, the administrator edits the person via the pen icon, uploads the form as a PDF, and selects the matching consent status. The full documented steps are: have the person sign, scan the form, upload the PDF at the person, and manually set the consent status to toestemming gegeven (consent given). You can also add an e-mail address to a person, or upload a signed consent form that came in during the photo shoot, and then change the consent status. This is the path for proof that you bring over from your old system as a scan.

The system also lets your organisation compose its own consent form and define the options. The person can then be invited to fill it in and sign it digitally. This is useful where old paper proof is scarce or unclear, and you would rather ask for fresh permission. Beeldbank.nl handles all three approaches: paper scans, e-mail permission, and new digital consent forms created within the bank.

Managing withdrawn consent in your new bank

Consent can be withdrawn at any time, and when it is, you must stop using images of that person. In Beeldbank.nl you set the person to geen toestemming (no consent), and the images in which that person is recognisable are no longer used. If your old system recorded withdrawals, carry them over and set those statuses before you go live, not after. Otherwise there is a period in which images can be used that should not be.

Keep the proof of the withdrawal as well, such as the message you received from the person or their representative. A smaller team leaving a heavy DAM platform can read about a lighter image bank alternative for smaller teams before deciding on a move. Ask yourself during the audit whether your current records show withdrawals clearly enough to be copied into your new system. If they do not, that is something to fix before you transfer the data.

Mapping consent record types to the new system

Building a transfer list before you move

Because an automatic import of consent data from another system is not documented, build a simple transfer list that you can work through manually. One line per person is enough: the name, the current consent status, where the proof is stored (a mailbox, a drive, a printed envelope), and what the scope was. Add a column for notes where proof is missing.

Then work through the list one person at a time. For each person, upload the proof and set the status in Beeldbank.nl. For people without proof, decide whether to contact them again for fresh consent or to stop using their images. Do this before go-live, so that your new system starts out in the correct state for you to defend.

In the demo, ask how the team suggests handling a large number of people and whether anything beyond the documented steps is available. If the answer is that manual work is required, plan it clearly and give it a named owner on your side.

Common consent migration mistakes to avoid

Four mistakes are common enough to check for before you start the transfer.

• Assuming proof can still be found later. Mailboxes get cleaned out, old drives are retired, and paper files go missing, so collect the proof while you still have access to your old system.
• Assuming the new system reads the old one. Beeldbank.nl does not document an automatic import, so plan the work yourself.
• Mixing up scope. A person may have agreed to one use and not another, so write the scope down in your transfer list before you map statuses.
• Forgetting withdrawals. Set those statuses first, before any other consent work, so you know from the start which images cannot be used.

Keeping consent records maintained after the move

Once the records are transferred, the habit of maintaining them matters more than the tool. Capture consent when you add images of recognisable people, update the status the moment someone withdraws permission, and review the list periodically for consent that has an agreed end date. Consent is changed by editing the person, so it takes only a few moments when the team remembers to do it.

If you are still comparing vendors before choosing your new image bank, ask each candidate how it stores and updates consent. For hosting and data protection questions about Beeldbank.nl, read the guide on checking Dutch hosting for a Canto alternative or the article on alternatives with Dutch servers and AVG-proof storage. Both cover how Beeldbank.nl handles your requirements.