User:Notafish/Copyright stuff

This page aims to be a comprehensive recapitulation of different licences available for media files on Commons and should in the long run list all restrictions applying to different parts of the world for copyright and use of files uploaded on Commons. Please keep all discussions on the talk page.

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You are about to upload a file on Commons, and we thank you for it. Commons is aimed to be a repository of free media available for all. In order to keep Commons free, you need to be aware [of copyright] enforcements worldwide, so as to mark your file with the appropriate tag. Please follow the different questions so as to mark your file with the best licence for it.

• See also : Commons:Licensing/Overview of national copyright rules for more detailed explanations

What is the nature of your file ?

• My file is a photo (see #photos)
• My file is a scan (see #scans)
• My file is a sound file (see #sounds)

Photos

You have taken this photo

• it is the photo of a thing

ie. a key, a car

• it is the photo of a landscape

ie. sunset, mountain, city skyline

• it is the photo of a "regular" building
• it is the photo of a piece of architecture

ie. the Eiffel Tower, the Pyramide of the Louvre

• it is the photo of a work of art

ie. painting in a museum, sculpture outside or at an enxhibition

The photo represents a thing, or a landscape

A thing

• Make sure the object does not fall under any copyright restrictions. All objects, even usual objects, are subject to intellectual property rights. Make sure the photo does not include a logo or a trade mark, and the object is generic enough not to be recognized as specific. Once this is done, you can licence the photo under the licence that best suits you

A landscape

• The landscape is natural and does not include any architecture susceptible of falling under any copyright

Go ahead and licence it under the licence that best suits you !

A building, a piece of architecture

• Buildings included in a landscape do not fall under any copyright, as long as they are not the subject of the photo. You may take a picture of San Francisco skyline and upload it, licence it under the licence that best suits you !
• For specific buildings and works of architecture, some restrictions may apply, the same as for any works of art, see below.

A work of art

• Paintings, sculptures and other works of art fall under copyright restrictions, that may vary depending on the country. Please note the following :
  • For works of art whose author (painter, sculptor, architect and such) died less than 70 years AGO, copyright restrictions apply at least in Europe, so please DO NOT upload them. other countries ? ie. The Pyramide of the Louvre in Paris is copyrighted, Picasso's work are copyrighted,
  • For works of art whose author (painter, sculptor, architect and such) died more than 70 years AGO copyright restrictions do not apply neither in the US nor in Europe other countries ?, you are then safe and can upload your picture under the licence that best suits you.

ie a picture of an Egyptian statue taken in a museum is not copyrighted, a Chinese wall paper from the Ting dynasty is not copyrighted etc.

The photo reprensents a person

This person is a public figure

• If the picture represent the person in a public meeting/representation, go ahead, upload the picture under the licence that best suits you.
• If the picture represents the person in their home garden, or at the beach on holidays, it falls under privacy laws, and cannot be published, keep it to yourself.

This person is anonymous

• If the person is the subject of the picture, you need to ask for their authorization before you can upload it. This authorization should be mentionned on the description of the picture. You may, providing you have their authorization, upload the photo under the licence that best suits you.
• If the person is not the subject of the picture (ie. someone in a crowd), you may do without their authorization but be aware that the right of a person to their image (and privacy) is inalienable, and that anyone recognizable on the picture might claim back this right. You may upload a photo of a crowd, but handle the license with care, ie. try to avoid pictures of

You have not taken this photo

You have found it on the internet or elsewhere

Make sure the site you found it specifies that the photo is free of use, use the appropriate tag to licence it. Indicate the source by putting a link to the site you have found the image on Photo found on this site.