Wikipedia:Media copyright questions

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(For help, see Wikipedia:Purge)

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:Image 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 the GFDL, an acceptable Creative Commons 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.; {{GFDL-self}}), 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 Save page.
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 ask your question" link above.
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.

Guinea Worm prevention flyer

At the AMNH in New York, there's a section on the guinea worm -- I got a picture of a small flyer made by Hydro Polymers (http://www.emory.edu/EMORY_REPORT/erarchive/2001/October/erOct.22/10_22_01cartercenter.html) -- there's no copyright notice or anything, but I assume it's quasi recent. Would it possibly be fair use to put it in? How should I classify it for use in the Guinea Worm article? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Editosaurus (talk • contribs) 01:58, 19 January 2016 (UTC)

@Editosaurus: Hey mate. I don't think the flyer would meet Wikipedia's fair-use guideline (it's close to a specific example of what wouldn't constitute fair use, see WP:NFC#UULP point 15). The flyer would probably be under copyright, especially if it's published after 1978. Seattle (talk) 16:12, 19 January 2016 (UTC)

Copyright tag

Hi, I uploaded this file today. I talked to the person who digitized this photo. He told me that I was free to upload it, but that I could give credit to the Modern Assyrian Research Archive. Is there any suitable tag? Shmayo (talk) 16:19, 19 January 2016 (UTC)

You can use {{PD-US-1923-abroad}} template, and add the Modern Assyrian Research Archive credit to the source field in the information template. Graeme Bartlett (talk) 23:16, 22 January 2016 (UTC)

Digital pictures of Paintings

I am creating a page for an artist. He died in 1984 and his paintings are distributed to many owners. I and my sister have taken digital pictures of many of the paintings with the verbal approval of the owners. There is no declaration of copyright on any of the works

Can I display these digital pictures on the page for this artist?

If I display these pictures of the paintings on the page, can I declare copyright on them?

Thank you, Blaise A. DarveauxBdarveaux (talk) 20:08, 23 January 2016 (UTC) — Preceding unsigned comment added by Bdarveaux (talk • contribs) 03:54, 23 January 2016‎

Hello Blaise. A contemporary artist (or their heirs) own copyright to their work, even if the painting has been sold to other people, unless the copyright has been explicitly released in writing. Declaration of copyright is not required. Contemporary paintings are copyrighted simply by existing, although the length of the copyright depends on when the painting was created, displayed and published. You do not obtain copyright to a painting simply by photographing it. You may be able to use such an image under our policy allowing limited use of non free images, in the context of critical commentary about the artist's work. Please read WP:NFCI #7 for details. Cullen³²⁸ Let's discuss it 03:41, 23 January 2016 (UTC)

Hi Blaise, if you have permission from the copyright holder, you can upload the images through wikimedia commons and then use them here. For instructions see here - Open Source Ticket Request System. After you email the permission uploading the file through commons will be pretty easy. Rybkovich (talk) 06:50, 23 January 2016 (UTC)

@ Rybkovich, the questioner stated that the artist died in 1984, so depending on the country, etc., the paintings will likely remain in copyright for a minimum of 70 years pma, which will be at least 2055 so a commons upload is not allowed. The possibility will be as Cullen328 states for use as critical commentary of the artists style but only if its use complies with all 10 of our non-free policy criteria. The only other possibility would be if the heirs release the paintings under a free licence. ww2censor (talk) 11:12, 23 January 2016 (UTC)

You are correct by owners I miss read owners to be copyright owner's family. It is very clear above. Rybkovich (talk) 16:52, 23 January 2016 (UTC)

Thank you all for your advise. Yes, by owners I meant the people that actually owned the physical paintings hanging on the walls. Some of the owners are relatives of the artist that were given the paintings as presents. Some owners are the children of the artist's wife who inherited the paintings when he died. Some owners are non-family members who purchased the paintings either from the artist's studio or who commissioned him to do the work.

I actually only wanted to show 1 or 2 of his paintings as examples. They are mostly of landscapes which I already explain in the text. I just have to think hard about No. 8 of the "use of non-free policy" and if the inclusions of the images are adding to the descriptions already given.Bdarveaux (talk) 20:36, 23 January 2016 (UTC)

Copyright for a picture of a person

Hi I uploaded a picture of Avishai Henik to his article. I just editted his article and gave me a permission to use this picture online I did not find the right category for tagging it what license should I use? Its a free use picture.

Please note that we need a free licence for File:AvishaiHenik.jpg from the original photographer. Mr Henik as the subject of the photo is most likely not the copyright holder, and permissions for using images on Wikipedia only are not sufficient. Images of living people on Wikipedia must be freely re-useable by anyone for any purpose. So please ask Mr Henik who took this photo and try to obtain a free licence like Creative Commons-by-attribution-4.0 or similar from the photographer. After that, the photographer should send an email as outlined in Wikipedia:Declaration of consent for all enquiries so the permission can be verified. De728631 (talk) 17:39, 24 January 2016 (UTC)

Attribution-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-ND 2.0)

Can we use CC BY ND 2.0 at Wikipedia, or does this require 3.0? The 2.0 reads "...copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format for any purpose, even commercially" https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/ Thanks. Image in question https://www.flickr.com/photos/americanprogress/3465791885 prokaryotes (talk) 09:55, 25 January 2016 (UTC)

• You can't use any "ND" licensed stuff here except as Wikipedia:Non-free content or if it's multilicensed with at least one derivative permitting license.Jo-Jo Eumerus (talk, contributions) 10:11, 25 January 2016 (UTC)

Thanks. But none free would not work in this instance, right? prokaryotes (talk) 10:12, 25 January 2016 (UTC)

Non-free wouldn't work here either; it's an image of a living person, so it's replaceable with a free image that a Wikipedian or someone willing to freely license his stuff could create at any time. WP:NFCC#1 violation, as it is.Jo-Jo Eumerus (talk, contributions) 10:14, 25 January 2016 (UTC)

Alright. Can you tag this file for speedy deletion? Or post here the tag, i tried the deletion request but find it very confusing. Thanks. prokaryotes (talk) 10:41, 25 January 2016 (UTC)

Requested speedy deletion on Commons.Jo-Jo Eumerus (talk, contributions) 11:01, 25 January 2016 (UTC)

Thanks. prokaryotes (talk) 11:04, 25 January 2016 (UTC)

Images of Interpol wanted persons

I wonder if images depicting wanted persons by Interpol would constitute fair use? For example, this person, who is wanted by the "Judicial authorities of UNMIK". At the bottom of the page, it says "This extract of the Red Notice has been approved for public dissemination". One photograph is needed for Lavdrim Muhaxheri, a leader of the Islamic State.--Zoupan 20:18, 25 January 2016 (UTC)

Normally, for living persons we expect that a free image can be taken so we would normally not allow for non-free images to be used under WP:NFCC#1. However, with people that are notable (like here) and are known to be on the run from the law and thus likely not to be easily seen in a public space (again, like here), we do allow non-frees to be used in this manner. --MASEM (t) 21:43, 25 January 2016 (UTC)

Correct attribution for CC-BY and other free content

I have a question about the use of freely licensed images for navigational purposes, and whether displaying them without linking to their image description page is kosher. Can any of the experts here please provide some input to my question on the village pump? Thank you, —Kusma (t·c) 10:20, 27 January 2016 (UTC)

Can someone post a picture they took of me without my permission?

A user is repeatedly posting a photo they took of me in my home without my permission on the Wikipedia article for Facial expression. This is the image. Thanks.

128.237.212.233 (talk) 16:06, 27 January 2016 (UTC)

• I've posted a request to the article talk page not to re-add this until this is settled. On a side note, you will likely need to prove that you are who you claim to be - I'm not sure how you'd go about doing this. I'm not familiar with copyright and legality with photographs, but I know that things are slightly different when pictures are taken in private areas like houses, since there's a reasonable expectation of privacy - especially if you asked them not to take a picture. On a side note, this does look like it was probably done as a form of harassment, given the title and some of the user's edits like this one. I'll drop a note at WC, since it's hosted there. Tokyogirl79 (｡◕‿◕｡) 16:18, 27 January 2016 (UTC)
• I've also posted at Wikimedia Commons, so you will want to check in there as well to see their advice. Tokyogirl79 (｡◕‿◕｡) 16:27, 27 January 2016 (UTC)
• Image is also tagged as speedy now - we edited concurrently on the same issue :). The relevant Commons information is Commons:Commons:Photographs of identifiable people, and the image is easily replaceable with a less dubious photo. GermanJoe (talk) 16:34, 27 January 2016 (UTC)

Done - Image has been deleted on Commons. GermanJoe (talk) 16:51, 27 January 2016 (UTC)

Thanks a lot. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 128.237.172.133 (talk) 20:41, 27 January 2016 (UTC)