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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Winchester, Virginia seal question

I've just been looking at the Winchester, Virginia city seal and I note that it has the non-free media tag to it. However as it is the Seal of a city council in the US, would it not fall under one of the US government public domain tags? If not that, Looking at this history which said this version was created in 1936, would the US PD no notice tag also apply? The C of E God Save the Queen! (talk) 23:52, 22 February 2017 (UTC)

Only works of the federal government and those of a few states like Arizona, Florida, Arkansas, California and Massachusetts are in the public domain by default. Other state and municipal works in the US may be copyrighted. As to 1936, irrespective of whether there was a copyright notice on the first publication of this seal, we would need to know whether any copyright was renewed in 1964. I'm going to take a look at the records, and File:Winchester Virginia Seal.jpg is actually slightly different than the original 1936 version, so it may be even younger. De728631 (talk) 00:34, 23 February 2017 (UTC)

OK @De728631:, please let me know what you find out. The C of E God Save the Queen! (talk) 11:33, 24 February 2017 (UTC)

@De728631: Any further information, or would it be easier to have an SVG version created? The C of E God Save the Queen! (talk) 11:31, 2 March 2017 (UTC)

@De728631:? The C of E God Save the Queen! (talk) 09:16, 9 March 2017 (UTC)

2nd Opinion required on use of a Non Free Image

Please see Talk:John Gerovich, where an iconic/historically significant photograph (File:JohnGerovich.jpg) has been rejected by a user as failing WP:NFCC#8. I disagree, but rather than edit warring, I'd like a 2nd (or 3rd) opinion please. The-Pope (talk) 14:34, 8 March 2017 (UTC)

The article already has a freely licenced image that essentially shows the same move by John Gerovich, so a non-free image is not necessary for a reader to understand the article. In that case it fails WP:NFCC#1 because a free image is available and being used. No, it is not the same but serves the same purpose and as Australia has the freedom of panorama exception for public sculptures we really can't use the photo. Regarding WP:NFCC#8, that can only be satisfied if you can find critical commentary about the photo itself not just a statement that the photo was taken, by whom and when. I see that similar comments have been noted on the article talk page. Sorry I think you are out of luck even though this image has been here for quite some years. ww2censor (talk) 16:26, 8 March 2017 (UTC)

Question about how to get a Getty Image

The page Shawn Christensen is very close to getting nominated for Good Article status. However, it requires one or two images. Considering this is the most recent look at the person in question, how would I go about nabbing this image? What licensing rationale would I use on both Wikipedia and the website in question? I don't have experience with Getty Images, so this is why I am asking. DARTHBOTTO _talk•cont 05:38, 12 March 2017 (UTC)

Getty Images are by default things we can't use because of WP:NFCC#2 since Getty is a commercial service and are unlikely to give permission. Now if Getty is claiming copyright on an image which is public domain then you could use it but this does not seem to be the case here. Jo-Jo Eumerus (talk, contributions) 10:01, 12 March 2017 (UTC)

Should you wish to pursue this, try his booking agency for start. [1] Type of Event: select 'Other' from the drop down list. For: Talent Budget: I'm looking for talent to donate their time. For: Target Audience: Community. For Additional Comments: “Shawn Christensen has a Wikipedia article about him that everybody visits but he needs a photo of himself there. If he can supply one (or two or three) by a photographer that is familiar with Creative Commons (and most are these days), we can place it (or them) on the article about him. He just only has to ask the photographer(s) to upload it (them) to Wikipedia Commons. Can you email this request to Shawn please, as he may be puzzled as to why he does not currently have a photo appearing on Wikipedia. Many thanks. P.S. The photographer can leave a brief note on >https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Shawn_Christensen< so we know know the file name and can thus can find them on Wikimedia Commons and include them in the article .”

Re-edit the suggestion above as you see fit. Do let us know how you get on.--Aspro (talk) 19:38, 12 March 2017 (UTC)

• @DarthBotto: Digest what we said. The image that you just uploaded is a copyvio and will be deleted. Informed you as to how you can gain a ligitamte image. Please don't attempt short cuts around our policies as it adds to our work load. Image in question is[2] --Aspro (talk) 22:29, 13 March 2017 (UTC)

@Aspro: Don't assume bad faith with me. The copyright holder is emailing OTRS, confirming their explicit permission for the file. DARTHBOTTO _talk•cont 22:37, 13 March 2017 (UTC)

Also, this isn't a Getty Image. The photographer from The Salt Lake Tribune agreed to contribute it, so they're emailing Wikimedia their formal consent. DARTHBOTTO _talk•cont 22:44, 13 March 2017 (UTC)

There is a long backlog on OTRS. Regardless of any verbal agreement you may have made with the photographer, until the OTRS come though it is a copyvio. However, Trent Nelson (the photographer) can place the tag {{subst:OP}} on the WC image file to inform us that his OTRS is in the pipeline and save 'you' having to uploading it again or getting it un-deleted by an administrator.--Aspro (talk) 22:57, 13 March 2017 (UTC)

@DarthBotto:. As this image has now been deleted, why not suggest and encoursge, the photographer to upload it himself to WC. It is a win-win for him and you. The backlog is currently about 160 days on OTRS. By uploading it himself, his image can come on-line almost immediately without the need for (and delay) of an OTRS. Also, by uploading it himself, which is simple (as you know) with Upload Wizard, he will then have an WC account for which to add and bring more of his photos to a wider audience, thus raising his profile. Just a suggestion. Cut-and -past this post to him and see what his response is. --Aspro (talk) 18:45, 14 March 2017 (UTC)

I emailed Trent, saying he should upload it himself. So, I hope it pans out well. DARTHBOTTO _talk•cont 20:46, 14 March 2017 (UTC)

Hope so too. Here's fingers crossed.--Aspro (talk) 22:10, 14 March 2017 (UTC)

File for discussion

This file is currently not useful at all and should be deleted https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archivo:Pauly2095hk.jpg — Preceding unsigned comment added by Pauly2095 (talk • contribs) 06:57, 13 March 2017 (UTC)

The file you've linked to is being hosted on Wikimedia Commons. If you feel it should be deleted, you will need to do so in accordance with c:Commons:Deletion policy. -- Marchjuly (talk) 07:00, 13 March 2017 (UTC)

I've tagged it for deletion on the commons. ww2censor (talk) 11:17, 13 March 2017 (UTC)

Can I use openstreetmap screenshots?

My question: Can I use openstreetmap screenshots? I work on an African language wikipedia, so it is easy to take a screenshot and label it afterwards (names etc). Is there a copyright problem with that? Kipala (talk) 20:54, 13 March 2017 (UTC)

It is OK providing you abide by the copyright. openstreetmap.org-copyright Labeling afterward, turns it into a derived work which the license also allows for. In short, you must credit OpenStreetMap. The way they recommend, is you use the credit “© OpenStreetMap contributors”. This is compatible with Wikipeda copyright requirements -should you wish to add them here. So no problem.--Aspro (talk) 21:18, 13 March 2017 (UTC)

There is a specific template for this {{Openstreetmap}} (not to be confused with {{OpenStreetMap}}). Nthep (talk) 23:01, 13 March 2017 (UTC)

Thanks everybody, fast and clear response!!Kipala (talk) 23:53, 13 March 2017 (UTC)

Need Help Determining Copyright Status

• This photo archive site shows date images were created and says “Public”; however, I’m not sure if that’s short for “Public Domain” or what. Can anyone figure out if these images are available for use in Wikipedia?--Orygun (talk) 02:34, 14 March 2017 (UTC)

@Orygun: I'd say that's just Google's indication that this album archive is publicly accessable, and that it isn't private. I don't think it has anything to do with copyright. Oregon also does not release government works as public domain, so that does not apply here either. If you would like to use these images, you should request permission. --AntiCompositeNumber (Leave a message) 02:52, 14 March 2017 (UTC)

Since Google is closing Panoramio and only hosting on their own site, the images no longer show the actual image copyright licence. As user:AntiCompositeNumber says "Public" just means the images are available for the public to view and not for private viewing only. So we cannot say with any certainty what an image's copyright is. It's a problem that will likely not be solved and the wikimedia foundation may not even have sufficient influence to get them to show the license, which they used to do for Panoramio images. ww2censor (talk) 22:52, 14 March 2017 (UTC)

File:United States Postal Service Logo.svg 150px

Hello I have a question is the United States Postal Service Logo a copyright? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 96.36.68.29 (talk • contribs)

@96.36.68.29: What's the question? ww2censor (talk) 11:22, 15 March 2017 (UTC)