Jump to content

Wikipedia:Media copyright questions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Haemmalaria (talk | contribs) at 15:17, 9 August 2015 (→‎copyright of image). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Template:Active editnotice

    Media copyright questions
    Shortcuts

    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
    1. On the description page of the image (the one whose name starts File:), click Edit this page.
    2. 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.
    3. 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.
    4. Remove any existing tag complaining that the image has no tag (for example, {{untagged}})
    5. Hit Publish changes.
    6. If you still have questions, go on to "How to ask a question" below.
    How to ask a question
    1. To ask a new question hit the "Click here to start a new discussion" link below.
    2. Please sign your question by typing ~~~~ at the end.
    3. Check this page for updates, or request to be notified on your talk page.
    4. 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.

    Click here to start a new discussion

    Click here to purge this page
    (For help, see Wikipedia:Purge)


    Great Reality TV Swindle

    The Great Reality TV Swindle was a 2002 con perpetrated by Nik Russian. Russian was the key figure in the con, and much of the subsequent media reaction centred on him. Some commentators speculated that Russian's physical appearance may have helped him to perpetrate his con, as he appeared to be "every inch" what he claimed to be. Some critics descirbed him as a "beautiful" and "Byronic" figure, and this is discussed in the article.

    For these reasons, I feel that it would be to our readers' benefit to have an image of Russian somewhere on the page. Unfortunately, following the con, Russian went into hiding and hasn't really been heard from since (he may well have changed his name), so I can't find any free images of him anywhere, and I'm not sure that any exist. The best image that I can find is this one by Closer magazine, which is a video still from a documentary on the con, and is obviously non-free. However, I feel that an appropriate non-free use rationale could quite easily be written to justify its place in the article. Am I right in thinking this? Would such use of the image meet WP:NFCC? Thanks very much. A Thousand Doors (talk | contribs) 23:35, 30 July 2015 (UTC)[reply]

    Anyone? Can anyone offer me advice as to whether use of this image in the Great Reality TV Swindle article would meet the NFCC? I'd be very grateful for any advice. Thanks. A Thousand Doors (talk | contribs) 23:21, 5 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]
    If we know that a living person is on the lam in a manner that we cannon reasonably expect a free image to be possible (without risking the exposure of that person, etc.) then we do allow cases for using non-free images for living persons, but at the same time, you probably need to make sure that his physical appearance then is sourced and documented to be part of the con; if he was the person but his appearance didn't have much to do with the con, then we'd probably not allow the non-free use. --MASEM (t) 23:35, 5 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]
    Thanks for the advice, Masem. I'll just go for it, write the most comprehensive rationale that I can, and see what happens. Thanks again. A Thousand Doors (talk | contribs) 13:00, 8 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]

    Iconic diagram

    I'm considering uploading an iconic diagram of metabolic pathways for use in the article on Biochemistry. It is entirely possible to remake the diagram even though it is a complex figure, however the point about using it, or other versions of it, is that it is an iconic poster often found in laboratories. The poster and other versions of it were made by Donald Nicholson (an obituary here) who gave the copyright to IUBMB which offers free download for this and other versions of the diagram (one version here). The image I'm considering uploading is blurry enough not to be usable in close up, but gives an idea of the complexity of biochemical pathways. I'm wondering what the opinion is of using the diagram as fair use. Hzh (talk) 15:47, 31 July 2015 (UTC)[reply]

    Does that diagram satisfy #1 of the non-free content criteria? One issue with diagrams is that they can usually be created from free works, and I can see a way of making an equivalent diagram that would not qualify as derivative from free works. Jo-Jo Eumerus (talk, contributions) 16:27, 31 July 2015 (UTC)[reply]
    Well, you are correct, it is a complex diagram but it is not impossible for someone to create a new version and freely licence it, so it clearly fails WP:NFCC#1. Perhaps, if it is so iconic then you might get away with it so long as it passes WP:NFCC#8 which requires critical commentary about the image itself and not having the image would be detrimental to the reader's understanding of the topic if the image were omitted, and that use claim would need to be backed up by some independent third-party reliable sources. Put in a request at the commons graphics lab. ww2censor (talk) 16:49, 31 July 2015 (UTC)[reply]
    There is no doubt that it can be remade, the question is not so much about the possibility of remaking it, but whether remaking it is something worthwhile. For example, the London Underground Tube map is very much an icon of map design, and it would be entirely possible to remake it, but the point of using it is that it is an iconic design, a substitution would defeat the purpose of its use. The Nicholson biochemistry metabolic pathways diagram is something you would see in most if not all biochemistry departments and it is what the author of the diagram is known for, and it is the reason why it would be worth using in addition to illustrating the complexity of biochemistry. Hzh (talk)
    Remaking a diagram as free content is absolutely worthwhile. Unless you want to have an article about that particular image (or sourced content about that particular image), it is better to use a free image. Jo-Jo Eumerus (talk, contributions) 17:39, 31 July 2015 (UTC)[reply]
    There are already a number of metabolic pathways charts, for example the Expasy one, some of them might be even copyright free, none of them however are as well known as the Nicholson one. I might need to think about it before engaging others to spend so much effort in making a chart like this. Hzh (talk) 17:54, 31 July 2015 (UTC)[reply]
    (←) A bit of an update: Our article Donald Nicholson (biochemist) has sourced discussion about that image. It might pass NFCC#8 and NFCC#1 there. Jo-Jo Eumerus (talk, contributions) 20:13, 3 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]

    Using info

    If I have take some information by other page how can I credit it? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Djeidi123 (talk • contribs) 08:31, 1 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]

    Please be more specific. Exactly what is your question relating to media? You have no other edits so we have no idea what you might be asking about. ww2censor (talk) 10:22, 2 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]

    Fair use pictures on a deleted article

    How do we delete these images specifically File:KissAnime Homescreen 30 July 2015.png Iady391 Talk to me here 11:41, 2 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]

    You add a {{db-f5}} or {{di-orphaned fair use}} tag to the top. Then it will get a timeout in case someone else uses the image, or the page gets restored. Note that Jo-Jo Eumerus has already placed this tag. Since you uploaded the image, you can add db-g7 instead to get it deleted straight away. Or if you state it clearly here that you want it deleted, I can do it now. Graeme Bartlett (talk) 12:17, 2 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]

    @Graeme Bartlett: Thanks. I added the db-g7. Iady391 | Talk to me here 20:54, 5 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]

    John Phil Wayne

    Hello there,

    You've mentioned that some of my text look like something which has been copied on Last FM. Well please allow me to inform you that I am the author of the Last FM Article regarding Mr John Phil Wayne. In fact a few years ago I was a member of Last FM and on the Bio Page I wrote the text in question. So please let me know what to do now.

    Thank you,

    Keith McLean. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Keith 009 (talk • contribs) 19:38, 3 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]

    Greetings, Keith McLean /@Keith 009:. The text is currently marked as "© 2015 Last.fm Ltd. All rights reserved"; if you are the owner of the copyright, can you change that notice to something that is Wikipedia compatible as indicated on WP:IOWN? Also, I would recommend a more neutral text for that draft - unsourced adjectives like "stunning" and other promotional language is generally not welcome here. Jo-Jo Eumerus (talk, contributions) 19:45, 3 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]

    Harshaali Malhotra

    I'm not confident on whether this image is verifiable or acceptable under Wikipedia's copyright rules. Can someone help me tag this? Or if possible can someone review and delete the file? File:Harshaali-malhotra-20150602114113-35141.jpg. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Anushka.parihar (talk • contribs) 03:18, 4 August 2015‎

    The image has been tagged for deletion because it has no information on its copyright status. The source does not help as there is no author or statement of copyright, so without that it will be deleted in due course. Generally any image you find on the internet is copyright to someone unless it has a clear statement that it is freely licenced. You may find it useful to read my image copyright information page that explains the issues such images have. ww2censor (talk) 04:46, 4 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]

    Dartmoor Preservation Association

    I have an image of the current logo to upload to WP Dartmoor Preservation Association (DPA): Dartmoor Preservation Association

    I recently completely replaced this page, with guidance from an established Wikipedian.

    I am the webmaster of the DPA website and uploaded photos of my own with no problem. The logo was removed by Filedelinker.bot for having no permission, which I don't understand.

    I have permission to use the logo but now rather than using Wiki Commons, I want to reload it to Wikipedia but I am not sure what license to opt for. Any advice would be appreciated - I find this aspect a little confusing. This time around it would be good to reserve some copyright so discourage other people from using it.

    RoadRunnerCwll (talk) 10:35, 4 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]

    If you are the actual copyright holder of the logo, you can email your permission by following the procedure found at the Commons OTRS page but even though you are the creator of the image the copyright may in fact belong to the organisation, in which case, get someone with authority to make contact and the OTRS volunteer will go through the verification process with them and add an OTRS ticket to the image. Unfortunately you cannot release an image to us and still retain any copyright over commercial or derivative use because we require your image to be freely licenced. It might be better to just upload the logo here and not to the commons, under our non-free policy so long as it is only used in the infobox of the article about the organisation. BTW you need to be aware of your conflict of interest in the DPA article. ww2censor (talk) 16:41, 4 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]

    Signatures

    Is a 1963 autograph (the signature portion) subject to copyright? I would like to add one to an article about a poet who recently died.- MrX 18:39, 4 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]

    Even though the subject is dead you probably should read Wikipedia:Signatures of living persons and c:Commons:When to use the PD-signature tag. ww2censor (talk) 09:40, 6 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]
    OK, thanks for the information.- MrX 04:18, 8 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]

    Jay Marwaha

    Hello,

    I created this image and I allow this to be used on websites and for articles, biographies, etc. I am not sure what information to include in the information section that will reflect that information. Please advise. Thank you. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Jay Marwaha (talk • contribs) 19:19, 6 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]

    I presume you are referring to File:Jay Marwaha SYNTASA President and CEO.jpg. First we need to know if you really did take the photo as it does not look like a selfie. Assuming a photographer took the photo it, then they are the copyright holder and we require their permission. Get them to follow the procedure found at WP:CONSENT. It will need to be freely licenced which means that anyone can use it for anything including commercial or derivative uses. Images require a fully completed {{information}} template as well as aa appropriate free copyright tag. You may find it useful to read my image copyright information page that covers most of the issues images encounter here. ww2censor (talk) 09:53, 7 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]

    Determining copyright status of images

    Dear Wiki Media Expert:

    I am currently drafting an article in which I would like to display some images, and need help in determining their copyright status. I have four examples, which I think represent most of the images I want to use.

    The first is the masthead of a 1914 newspaper column in the New York Evening Mail showing a drawing of the author and title of the column.

    The second is a family photo from 1901 owned by a personal acquaintance who has given me verbal permission to use it as I please.

    The third is a woodcut from an independent college literary magazine issued in 1902 that was not associated with the university in any way and had a run of 200 copies. The self-publishers is known for certain to have no living heirs.

    The fourth is a photo that was used in a 1963 newspaper article. It first appeared in the Kansas City Star, but the story was picked up by the Associated Press and appeared in a number of other papers. The Kansas City version has an author byline, who is also is credited in the photo (this person is now deceased, I have determined). In at least one AP version, the photo credit is given as the AP. I came upon a fellow researcher who had bought an original print of the photo on eBay, and it was stamped on the back by the AP. He allowed me to make a high-quality scan, and gave me verbal permission to use it, but I don't know if he has the right to do that.

    Your opinion on these examples would be greatly appreciated.

    Wills473 — Preceding unsigned comment added by Wills473 (talk • contribs) 21:30, 6 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]

    The Evening Star item is easy: U.S., pre-1923, public domain. It could be uploaded to the Commons right away.
    Where was the "independent college literary magazine issued in 1902" published (i.e., what country)? --Orange Mike | Talk 02:13, 8 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]

    Diagram in Donald Nicholson (biochemist)

    A follow up of an earlier discussion on this page, when we discussed this diagram and concluded that it can't meet NFCC#1 on Biochemistry. However, upon taking stock of the Donald Nicholson (biochemist) page I wondered if using it to illustrate that article would meet NFCC#8; there is sourced discussion of that diagram in the article and from the sources it appears that that diagram is a fairly important - if not the most important - aspect in that biochemist's career. Jo-Jo Eumerus (talk, contributions) 13:39, 9 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]

    copyright of image

    hi i received a message below: Where did this image come from? Who created it? Who holds the copyright to this image? Unless this information is added to this page, the image will be deleted one week after 9 August 2015. Remove this tag when you provide the information. Administrators: delete this file. What is the copyright license for this image? If you do not know what a "copyright license" is, or how to find out, ask for help on Wikipedia:Media copyright questions. Unless this information is added to this page, the image will be deleted one week after 9 August 2015.

    Remove this tag when you provide the information. Administrators: delete this file.

    but i am not sure how to edit this and provide this kind of information. Can you please help? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Haemmalaria (talk • contribs) 15:06, 9 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]

    @Haemmalaria: Greetings. Is this a drawing you made, or did you take it from somewhere else? Jo-Jo Eumerus (talk, contributions) 15:10, 9 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]

    this is a drawing i made — Preceding unsigned comment added by Haemmalaria (talk • contribs) 15:12, 9 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]

    also, can i please know how to cite the same reference through out the page? like I would like to cite the same reference in the later paragraph

    Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Media_copyright_questions&oldid=675278805"