Wikipedia:Non-free content criteria

Guidelines and policies concerning non-free and unlicensed content on Wikipedia are almost always under active discussion on this page's talk page. You are invited to participate.

Change of times

Although the text of the criteria has been recently changed, no change in the policy is intended; any substantive changes that are identified should be settled to the original meaning.

For the full non-free content use guideline (including these criteria) see Wikipedia:Non-free content.

The primary goal of Wikipedia's policy for non-free content is to protect our mission to produce content that is perpetually free for unlimited distribution, modification and application by all users in all media ("non-free content" means copyrighted material lacking a free content license). This goal could best be met by completely disallowing all material that is not free; many Wikipedias in other languages allow no non-free content at all. However, to meet another central goal of our mission—the production of a quality encyclopedia—the English Wikipedia permits a limited amount of non-free content under strictly defined circumstances. This policy embodies a compromise between these two goals.

Non-free content may be used on the English Wikipedia under fair use only where all 10 of the following criteria are met. These criteria are based on the four fair-use factors, the goal of creating a free encyclopedia, and the need to minimize legal exposure.

1. No free equivalent. Non-free content is used only where no free equivalent is available or could be created that would serve the same encyclopedic purpose. If non-free content can be transformed into free material, this is done instead of using a fair-use defense. Non-free content is always replaced with a freer alternative if one of acceptable quality is available. "Acceptable quality" means a quality sufficient to serve the encyclopedic purpose. (As a quick test, ask yourself: "Can this image be replaced by a different one, while still having the same effect?" If the answer is yes, then the image probably does not meet this criterion.)
2. Respect for commercial opportunities. Non-free content is not used in a manner that is likely to replace the original market role of the original copyrighted media.
3. (a) Minimal use. As little non-free content as possible is used in an article. Short rather than long video and audio excerpts are used. Multiple items are not used if one will suffice; one is used only if necessary.
   (b) Resolution/fidelity. Low- rather than high-resolution/fidelity is used (especially where the original is of such high resolution/fidelity that it could be used for piracy). This rule includes the copy in the Image: namespace.
4. Previous publication. Non-free content has been published outside Wikipedia.
5. Content. Non-free content meets general Wikipedia content requirements and is encyclopedic.
6. Media-specific policy. The material meets Wikipedia's media-specific policy.
7. One-article minimum. Non-free content is used in at least one article.
8. Significance. Non-free media is not used unless it contributes significantly to an article. It needs to significantly increase readers' understanding of the topic in a way that words alone cannot. The use of non-free media in lists, galleries, and navigational and user-interface elements is normally regarded as decorative and thus unacceptable.
9. Restrictions on location. Non-free content is used only in the article namespace; it is never used on templates (including stub templates and navigation boxes) or on user pages. (To prevent an image category from displaying thumbnails, add __NOGALLERY__ to it; images are linked, not inlined, from talk pages when they are a topic of discussion.)
10. Image description page. The image or media description page contains the following.
    • (a) Proper attribution of the source of the material, and attribution of the copyright holder if different from the source.
    • (b) An appropriate fair-use tag indicating which Wikipedia policy provision permitting the use is claimed. A list of image tags is at Wikipedia:Image copyright tags/Non-free content.
    • (c) The name of each article in which fair use is claimed for the item, and a separate fair use rationale for each use of the item, as explained at Wikipedia:Fair use rationale guideline. The rationale is presented in clear, plain language, and is relevant to each use.

Non-compliance

An image that does not comply with this policy 48 hours after notification to the uploading editor will be deleted. To avoid deletion, the uploading editor or another Wikipedian will need to provide a convincing fair-use defence that satisfies all 10 criteria. For an image that was uploaded before 2006-07-13, the 48-hour period is extended to seven days. An image on which fair use is claimed that is used in no article (Criterion 7) may be deleted seven days after notification.

Exemptions

Exemptions from the non-free content criteria are occasionally granted on a case-by-case basis if there is broad consensus that doing so is necessary to the goal of creating a free encyclopedia. (An example is the gallery of Category:Replaceable fair use images, which is needed to help people find images to replace.)