Wikipedia:Media copyright questions

Media copyright questions
Welcome to the Media Copyright Questions page, a place for help with image copyrights, tagging, non-free content, and related questions. For all other questions please see Wikipedia:Questions. How to add a copyright tag to an existing image On the description page of the image (the one whose name starts File:), click Edit this page. From the page Wikipedia:File copyright tags, choose the appropriate tag: For work you created yourself, use one of the ones listed under the heading "For image creators". For a work downloaded from the internet, please understand that the vast majority of images from the internet are not appropriate for use on Wikipedia. Exceptions include images from flickr that have an acceptable license, images that are in the public domain because of their age or because they were created by the United States federal government, or images used under a claim of fair use. If you do not know what you are doing, please post a link to the image here and ask BEFORE uploading it. For an image created by someone else who has licensed their image under an acceptable Creative Commons or other free license, or has released their image into the public domain, this permission must be documented. Please see Requesting copyright permission for more information. Type the name of the tag (e.g.; {{Cc-by-4.0}}), not forgetting {{ before and }} after, in the edit box on the image's description page. Remove any existing tag complaining that the image has no tag (for example, {{untagged}}) Hit Publish changes. If you still have questions, go on to "How to ask a question" below. How to ask a question To ask a new question hit the "Click here to start a new discussion" link below. Please sign your question by typing ~~~~ at the end. Check this page for updates, or request to be notified on your talk page. Don't include your email address, for your own privacy. We will respond here and cannot respond by email. Note for those replying to posted questions If a question clearly does not belong on this page, reply to it using the template {{mcq-wrong}} and, if possible, leave a note on the poster's talk page. For copyright issues relevant to Commons where questions arising cannot be answered locally, questions may be directed to Commons:Commons:Village pump/Copyright.
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In a Lonely Place (1950 film)

Resolved

 – – Kerαunoςcopia^◁_galaxies 05:31, 4 July 2011 (UTC)

The images used in the article In a Lonely Place were taken from the trailer. But I recently noticed that the film itself didn't seem to have any copyright notice on it either. A check at the Library of Congress didn't seem to turn up any motion picture results, only soundtrack-related. Is this entire film in the public domain? More specifically, would I be able to upload images from the actual film, not the trailer? – Kerαunoςcopia^◁_galaxies 12:48, 27 June 2011 (UTC)

A copyright notice may have appeared elsewhere on the film, eg the canister, so do not assume is is uncopyrighted because you saw no notice. Graeme Bartlett (talk) 12:31, 2 July 2011 (UTC)

Great, thank you. I wasn't sure if my question was bordering on being a legal question or not. I'll avoid using image directly from the film. – Kerαunoςcopia^◁_galaxies 05:31, 4 July 2011 (UTC)

Wikipedia palagiarised - what to do?

HI

I have a little problem. Do we do anything when Wikitext is taken and put onto a page which then claims it as their copyright and "all rights reserved?" Chaosdruid (talk) 15:02, 29 June 2011 (UTC)

• One option is to handly it yourself using the steps described here: Wikipedia:Mirrors_and_forks#Non-compliance_process. Wikipedia's strong "DIY ethic" applies to policing its policies, which includes dealing with reusing content outside of Wikipedia (i.e. if you see a problem, you are encouraged to address it yourself rather then expect any "official" response from The Foundation). If you wish to bring something to the attention of the Foundation on the off chance they will deal with it, see this page, though I do not guarantee that the Foundation will act on this matter, rather you are more likely to get results if you follow the "Non-compliance process" I describe above. --Jayron32 15:17, 29 June 2011 (UTC)

Cheers :¬) Chaosdruid (talk) 19:11, 30 June 2011 (UTC)

So basically anyone is allowed to use, host, modify, or sell Wikipedia content, so long as they give credit, correct? Throwaway85 (talk) 20:54, 30 June 2011 (UTC)

Under the terms of CC-BY-SA, any redistribution must be release under an equivalently free license, hence the "ShareAlike" bit. While this doesn't specifically bar anyone from selling Wikipedia content, it does bar them from claiming Copyright. Robert Skyhawk ^{(T C)} 21:06, 30 June 2011 (UTC)

Thanks. Throwaway85 (talk) 07:05, 6 July 2011 (UTC)

this is my own picture....

I took the photo and I am letting anyone use it. — Preceding unsigned comment added by ANSUB AHMED SIDDIQUI (talk • contribs) 07:32, 30 June 2011 (UTC)

• Where??? We don't see no photo. --Dave ^{♠♣♥♦™№1185©♪♫®} 07:42, 30 June 2011 (UTC)

Use of image

File http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0a/Feathers_and_wedges_2.svg/250px-Feathers_and_wedges_2.svg.png

I am writing a local history book and would like to use the above image as I think it would be ideal to illustrate what feathers and wedges are and how they work. Do I need, and if so can I get, permission for this please? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 78.149.45.16 (talk) 08:20, 30 June 2011 (UTC)

The actual image page says it all File:Feathers_and_wedges_2.svg "I grant anyone the right to use this work for any purpose, without any conditions, unless such conditions are required by law." - X201 (talk) 08:28, 30 June 2011 (UTC)

Ozgu Namal

• http://www.cabadak.com/hanimin-ciftligine-ceza-geldi

Can I, and if I can, then how upload this photo? Alex ^discussion 10:00, 30 June 2011 (UTC)

No, all the content of that site is covered by the copyright notice at the bottom (© 2011 Güncel Bilgi Paylaşım Sitesi). – ukexpat (talk) 15:24, 30 June 2011 (UTC)

University of Western Sydney

Does this file met the threshold of originality? I ask because I think it does, but there is a file on Commons, which claims it doesn't. Armbrust ^{Talk to me} _Contribs 12:23, 30 June 2011 (UTC)

I agree with the Commons file info page. (My internal test is that if I (the least artistic person that I know) could have come up with it, then it doesn't meet the threshold.) – ukexpat (talk) 15:27, 30 June 2011 (UTC)

Lycanthropus

While looking at File:ScreenshotCurtLowens5-1-2.png from Lycanthropus (1962), I noticed that the movie is listed at http://www.archive.org/details/Werewolf_In_A_Girls_Dormitory as public domain. AT 00:10, I see a copyright notice. Compare this with Night of the Living Dead (1968) http://www.archive.org/details/NightOfTheLivingDead1968-Restored where our article explains its copyright status being due to the copyright notice being omitted. Does anyone know why this movie is public domain? Or whether Moving Image Archive is reliable when it comes to copyright? John Vandenberg ^(chat) 16:47, 30 June 2011 (UTC)

creative commons 3.0 license

This, more than likely, is not a new topic but a problem I am having a hard time resolving. I am a new user of Wikipedia and I want to use it correctly. I am also writing a book and have found some pictures licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike 3.0 Unported License. It appears that I can use these photos if I properly attribute them and do not indicate in any way that the photographers approve of my material. It also appears that I can use them in a commercial enterprise (which I hope my book will be). However, I have several questions: 1. What is the exact way that these pictures should be attributed - by the Wiki user name or by the photographer's correct name, which is often given when I click on the user name? It would help to see a sample attribution for a photo under this license. 2. I am assuming that using the photos under this license means that I would have to allow readers to freely copy these photos from the book, as long as they credit the original photographer. However, this would not preclude my copyrighting my material within the book. Is this correct? 3. Under fair use, I am assuming that I would be expected to treat the photos essentially "with respect" and not abuse their use in any way. Is this correct? 4. Is there any reason I need to contact the photographers to request their use for commercial enterprises? I would appreciate any help you can give me. Thank you.Redheadsheb (talk) 23:51, 1 July 2011 (UTC)

1. Determine as best you can the name and credit wording that the author specified in connection with the photo. Sometimes he stated it explicitly in an "attribution" line in the information box and/or in an introduction line with the license tag. If not, and unless stated otherwise, you can often assume that he wants to be credited under the name he indicated in the "author" field or in any other way on the description page of the photo. You may also find useful the suggestions in the "How_do_I_properly_attribute" section of the Creative Commons abbreviated FAQ.

2. Yes.

3. Your use of the expression "under fair use" is somewhat ambiguous. I assume you're still talking about the CC license, not the fair use notion of the U.S. Copyright Act. If so, the answer to your question seems to be the terms of section 4d of the license.

4. No, not with the by-sa license if it doesn't have a "nc" clause. That is an important point of free licenses. You don't need to contact the author if you do what is allowed by the license. You would need to contact him only if you wanted a derogation to the license.

-- Asclepias (talk) 03:58, 2 July 2011 (UTC)

Request for takedown

Several IP's have been removing a photo and adding a takedown notice on Central Pacific 173, not really sure how to deal with this one. Should I ask them to use WP:CONTACT, WP:OTRS, or is this not how it should be done? Apologies for this thread being slightly out of scope of this board, but I know the editors here will know what to do. Thanks, Acather96 (talk) 07:54, 3 July 2011 (UTC)

While this image is hosted on the commons, you may try asking for some help from User:Centpacrr, who has a connection with cprr.org (see his user page). I suspect this claim is copyfraud, i.e., claiming copyright over an image which is in the public domain. Even unpublished works are only copyright for 95 years from creation by anon authors or 120 years for known authors, per commons:COM:L#United States, so an 1864 image would have passed into the public domain in 1959 at earliest and 1984 at the latest. Some organisations don't understand some of the nuances of copyright law and make such copyright claims mainly based on ignorance rather than US copyright law. ww2censor (talk) 16:18, 3 July 2011 (UTC)

Photos taken at a sports event

I want to upload one photo I took at Wimbledon 2011 and probably more if I find something else. The conditions of entry for the event state that audiovisual material recorded in the event may not be sold or used commercially unless authorized by the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club, which organizes the event. However, Wikipedia requests that uploaded images should be free to use commercially, which would make the posting of ANY photo taken at Wimbledon a violation of Wikipedia policy. Please reply on which license should I select or if I should not upload the image at all, which I would understand as to most probably mean that every present and future photo in Wikipedia that has been taken in Wimbledon, and in many other sports events that have a similar policy, would have to be taken down. Thanks — Preceding unsigned comment added by Etrevino (talk • contribs) 19:58, 3 July 2011 (UTC)

It's your neck on the block: you are the one who has entered into a contract with the All England Club, nobody else. If you make your photo available without restricting it to be NC use only, as I understand it the All England Club has no recourse in law against anyone (including WP) who might use it; but they may have recourse against you, for breaking your contract with them.

Of course if you restrict it to be NC use only, Wikipedia won't accept it, and the upload page will ask you to select a less restrictive license. Jheald (talk) 22:19, 3 July 2011 (UTC)

That's correct, use of the photo is restricted to NC only except if authorized by AELTC, and Wikipedia won't want a photo with a NC license. The conditions of entry state "Still photographs, film, videotape or other audio-visual material recorded within the Grounds may not be sold or used commercially in any way whatsoever unless authorised by the AELTC". I believe this wording leaves the burden of getting authorization on the user of the photo; if I don't sell the photo and if I don't use it commercially I am complying with the conditions of entry.

The CC licenses state that "In no way are any of the following rights affected by the license: [...] Rights other persons may have either in the work itself or in how the work is used, such as publicity or privacy rights." Considering this provision which I hadn't read closely before, I believe it might be acceptable to upload the photo to Wikipedia with one of the allowed licenses like CC BY-SA but specify in the summary that the photo was taken under those conditions and so, besides the publicity rights of whoever is in the photo, the AELTC has rights on the photo as well. Therefore a potential user would be aware of the NC use restriction imposed by the AELTC, and that commercial use would require them to ask the AELTC for permission as well as the depicted persons who have personal publicity rights.Etrevino (talk) 01:07, 4 July 2011 (UTC)

Greater London Authority images

These two images are claimed to licensed under either GFDL or CC by their respective uploaders: Image:GLA Flag.png and File:Greater_London_Authority_logo.svg. They are logos of this administrative entity - Greater London Authority. The Terms and Conditions page here: [1] restricts usage without prior request. I made an SVG version of the first image, but am not sure about the licensing so have not uploaded yet. They are simple text only wordmarks - are they copyrightable anyway? vlad§inger ^tlk 03:06, 4 July 2011 (UTC)

I'm going to put my SVG under {{PD-textlogo}} for now. If there's a more suitable category, please put all of these images under the same license for consistency. vlad§inger ^tlk 03:13, 4 July 2011 (UTC)

Tag for personal photo?

Hello,

The photo I've uploaded is a personal one. Please let me know the appropriate Tag to be used in such cases.

Awaiting your earliest reply. Thanks & Regards, Prakash C.— Preceding unsigned comment added by Prax c (talk • contribs) 04:54, 4 July 2011 (UTC)

• Some of the best copyright tags that authors can use for their own work are {{PD-self}},{{attribution}} and the creative commons {{Cc-by-sa-3.0}}. Check them out and decide which one suits you best. ww2censor (talk) 05:21, 4 July 2011 (UTC)

Who own this photo?

This photo is claimed by Corbys, Getty and Associated Press, what makes me suspicious it's likely to be in the public domain. Has anyone seen anything similar? --damiens.rf 14:36, 4 July 2011 (UTC)

I would suspect it is a copyright violation by all those photo agencies and would still be under copyright, or whatever the South African law says for stuff from 1960. Photographer is unknown. Graeme Bartlett (talk) 01:48, 5 July 2011 (UTC)

South Africa is currently under the Copyright Act of 1978, which grants photographs a copyright of 50 years after their first publication. See section S.3(2)(a). If this photograph was first published in 1960, it entered the public domain on January 1, 2011. – Quadell ^(talk) 18:43, 6 July 2011 (UTC)

P.S. You can use {{PD-South-Africa}}.

P.P.S. Corbys, Getty, and AP should all be ashamed of themselves. – Quadell ^(talk) 12:23, 7 July 2011 (UTC)

Uniform Copyrights

I wonder why are sports uniforms like this considered copyrighted and not just a combination of typefaces and geometric forms. Surely, some uniforms may include creativity enough, like some tiger drawing, whatever. But when it's just a combination of where what colors go, isn't this just a case of trademark just like with {{PD-textlogo}}? --damiens.rf 15:40, 4 July 2011 (UTC)

I would say the uniform is too simple to copyright as a 2D image, or uses no original work. Trademark probably still applies. However the person who drew this could claim copyright. Graeme Bartlett (talk) 01:45, 5 July 2011 (UTC)

Image at Boleto

The addition of copyright violations at Boleto made me look at File:BoletoBancario.png, which is an image used on the page. I'm no expert on image copyrights by any means, but due to the logo in the corner, copyright appears to belong to Bradesco, which is a bank. The concern I have is that the uploader claims not only to be the copyright holder of this work, but also that he releases it into the public domain, something I'm not sure a company would do. My question is, what is the correct method of addressing these concerns? - SudoGhost™ 15:42, 4 July 2011 (UTC)

Please note that is a Commons image, so here may not be the best place to discuss it. That said, I believe that the image is not eligible for copyright with the exception of the bank's logo, that could be hidden out. --damiens.rf 16:37, 4 July 2011 (UTC)

copyright laws

I want to explore creating mixed media collage. I want to know laws pertaining to copying images in books and magazines. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 98.20.6.134 (talk) 18:40, 5 July 2011 (UTC)

This page is for copyright questions relating to Wikipedia. We cannot give you legal advice about copyright issues generally. You should consult an intellectual property lawyer. – ukexpat (talk) 20:56, 5 July 2011 (UTC)

Is the text of a historical marker erected by a local government in the public domain?

Recently I quoted the text of a historical marker in a city park in Gainesville, Florida; my quote was deleted as copyright violation by someone who is a Wikipedia administrator and ambassador and so, I suppose, should know what is a copyright violation and what is not. Nonetheless, I find it hard so to believe that the marker falls into that category (especially since it's quoted in print in a book I referenced in the article in question) that I am bothering you to adjudicate on the matter.

The deletion is found via this URL: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hogtown%2C_Florida&action=historysubmit&diff=437872104&oldid=437214691

The dialogue between the deletor and myself is found at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_talk:Donald_Albury#About_Deletion_of_the_text_of_the_historical_marker_in_Westside_Park_in_Gainesville.2C_Florida

I thank you.

Type to you later,

Lipsio (talk) 21:18, 5 July 2011 (UTC) Vince Lipsio

Without looking at the specific facts in your case, I'd say the general rule is yes, there is a copyright concern. I took a picture of a plaque to illustrate one historical site, and learned, to my chagrin, that it was a copyright problem. Works of the Federal government are usually in the public domain, but that isn't true for state and local government works.

It may be the case that the plaque uses material in the public domain, but that would have to be judged on a case-by-case basis.--SPhilbrickT 21:40, 5 July 2011 (UTC)

So, even a photograph of the marker is problematic — fascinating.

If I were to obtain permission from the erector of the marker ("Sponsored by Alachua County Historical Commission in cooperation with Department of State 1975"), how would I go about attaching such permission to a Wikimedia entity? Or, if I obtained legal counsel on the matter? These are probably purely theoretical, as my time is limited, but I may try to do so some day, and thought to ask well in advance.

And, judging from the specifics of the comments entered with the deletion (URL above), it would seem that even quoting a state constritution or statute book is in violation of copyright law, but surely that can not be the case; if and where can authoritative rules be found?

Thanks,

Lipsio (talk) 22:12, 5 July 2011 (UTC)

To communicate permission to Wikipedia, see the process set out at WP:IOWN. I don't think getting legal advice would help. Reasonable legal minds can differ on the same fact pattern. – ukexpat (talk) 00:16, 6 July 2011 (UTC)

Thanks. The problem of legal advice was not lost on me and I should have thought better of asking; however, the process at WP:IOWN is something valuable to me to know about.

Vincent J. Lipsio 19:04, 6 July 2011 (UTC) — Preceding unsigned comment added by Lipsio (talk • contribs)

Is it a copy right image

The image has been taken from my facebook,I do not know it is copy right or not,please help me to solve this question,and which image is not copy right.Ehsan Sehgal (talk) 21:35, 5 July 2011 (UTC)

You are referring to File:Ehsan Sehgal.jpg? Yes it is the copyright of the person who took the picture unless that person has specifically released it into the public domain or assigned it to someone else. – ukexpat (talk) 00:19, 6 July 2011 (UTC)

File:Coral Nebula Aelita Andre.jpg

Hello, another editor has let me know that this image, which I recently uploaded, might not be fair use because it's a CC-licensed reproduction of an artwork. Is the image okay, or should it be deleted? If it should be deleted, can I upload a low-resolution version of it and use the {{Non-free 2D art}} license?

Thank you, Armadillopteryx^talk 00:53, 6 July 2011 (UTC)

This is a tough one. It is a free image, but its sole intention is to partially reproduce a copyrighted work of art, so it's a derivative work of a non-free piece of art. But {{Non-free 2D art}} doesn't really work either, since it's not 2-D. It's kind of a sculpture, or at least it has a 3-D element. So I think we can only allow it if it passes our non-free content criteria, and I don't think it would. Very sad.

There are many freely-licensed photos of copyrighted sculptures that people try to upload, and I'm not sure what the recent thinking is on that, but this photo should be treated like those others. – Quadell ^(talk) 12:17, 7 July 2011 (UTC)

Okay, that makes sense. I do have a question to add now. The artist classifies it as a painting, as does the gallery her work is in, and although this work has not been mentioned by name in news reports, the media have generally referred to all her works as paintings. If I provided a link to either the artist's website or to the gallery's website with this work called a painting (or with all the works called paintings and with this one presented in a collection on the same site), would that be sufficient to qualify it as 2D art?

• Artist's website (The top right corner says, "Painted at ... "
• Gallery website, which refers to the painting as "acrylic and mixed media on canvas." I don't know whether "on canvas" overrides "mixed media" or whether "mixed media" overrides "on canvas."

All of the works by this artist are paintings with small objects affixed to the surface. I know of similar images of her work (photographed by the same person and with the same license) that you can find here, here, here, and here. Do you think one of these would be a better choice?

Thank you, Armadillopteryx^talk 12:35, 7 July 2011 (UTC)

It's certainly gray area, whether this is 2D or 3D art. I don't think it affects the status of the work particularly, though, since the underlying work is copyrighted. I think we would treat it the same, whether it was 2D or 3D. – Quadell ^(talk) 13:36, 7 July 2011 (UTC)

Okay, so do you recommend that I remove it from the article and tag it for deletion? Or, should I try out the non-free 2D art license with a low-res version and see what happens? Armadillopteryx^talk 14:32, 7 July 2011 (UTC)

I dunno, I think I'd better let someone with more recent IFD experience than I have give advice there. – Quadell ^(talk) 14:41, 7 July 2011 (UTC)

Image of Sunny Deol

This is an image of bollywood actor Sunny Deol, a living person. http://s.chakpak.com/se_images/22682_-1_564_none/sunny-deol.jpg

How do I know whether it is a free image that can be used on Wikipedia or not? In Google all images are available for free from all sites....and most celebrities like this have no problem with using their images. Can someone explain in simple terms? Thanks — Preceding unsigned comment added by Sanjeevgeorge123 (talk • contribs) 06:48, 6 July 2011 (UTC)

Wikipedia holds itself to higher standards that most other websites when it comes to things with possible legal ramifications, such as copyright infringement. It is usually safe to assume that most images of celebrities that you find on the internet are not free to use, and that someone owns the copyright and cannot be used on Wikipedia, unless there is a clear statement that the image has been released into the public domain or on terms acceptable to Wikipedia. – ukexpat (talk) 13:47, 6 July 2011 (UTC)

RAAK Arts and Science College

RAAK Arts and Science College — Preceding unsigned comment added by Baskar mother (talk • contribs) 10:11, 6 July 2011 (UTC)

Do you have a question relating to copyright issues on Wikipedia? – ukexpat (talk) 13:41, 6 July 2011 (UTC)

A Neon Rome Photo

I posted a photo of the band A Neon Rome provided to me by the singer for insertion into the Wikipedia page A_Neon_Rome and I quite frankly don't understand how to copyright tag it. Please advise. Geoffrey Laxton — Preceding unsigned comment added by Geoffreylaxton (talk • contribs) 03:27, 7 July 2011 (UTC)

You must get the copyright holder, who is likely the photographer, Julie Bates, not the singer who gave you the photo File:Neon Rome.jpg, to send us their permission by following the procedure found at WP:CONSENT and they must release the image under a free licence. ww2censor (talk) 03:37, 7 July 2011 (UTC)