Clearance: Showing Apps, Logos and Maps on Screen in Film and TV
Short answer: Real brands on screen, such as Instagram, TikTok, WhatsApp, Google Maps and Apple Maps, can raise trademark, copyright and terms-of-service questions, so many productions ask for clearance or avoid them. Fictional apps solve this: PhoneGuy ships its own social apps (PopUp, Swippr, MoMoMap) and its own map app with real streets and routes but no Google or Apple branding. This is general information, not legal advice.
Step by step
- Flag every screen. List each app, logo, map and website that appears in a phone shot.
- Ask clearance early. Get the clearance or legal team's rules for real brands.
- Swap to fictional. Use fictional apps and rights-free maps by default.
- Use fictional data. Use fictional numbers, usernames and addresses, never real people.
Common mistakes
- Real usernames or handles that belong to real people
- Map tiles with a provider's logo in the corner
- Real phone numbers on screen
FAQ
Are fictional apps required?
Not always, but they remove the risk and the paperwork. Real brands can be enabled when a production has the rights.
Are PhoneGuy maps free to show?
They use PhoneGuy's own map style based on open map data, with no Google or Apple branding.
Related guides
- Fake WhatsApp or Chat App for Film and TV (Clearance-Safe)
- How to fake Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat on screen
- How to fake GPS, maps and tracking on screen
Features: Control room · Fake social media · Clearance-free maps · iPhone and Android
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