Help:Image copyright tags

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Images on DCCWiki must be tagged to help adhere to copyright laws and identify free material for use. Since the servers are located in the USA, only US law needs to be taken into consideration whenever national law is relevant.

For general Rules of Thumb on uploading images, see Image use policy.

Here are some image tagging guidelines:

  • Please tag images on the image description page with one of the tags below so we can keep track of its status. For information on where to put the tags in the image description page, see Template messages. The tags should be put on a line of their own.
  • When marking an image as one of the more vague categories (such as CopyrightedFreeUse), try to specify somewhere what the actual license or other permission states.
  • If you tag an image as requiring attribution, please specify who needs to be attributed! Note that the GFDL requires attribution.
  • If multiple categories apply to an image, add all that apply.
  • Along with a tag, specify the source or copyright holder information. Provide as much detail as possible.
  • Please put more thought to the file naming of images as well.
  • DCCWiki does allow fair use material. Fair use applies in some countries but not in others.
  • To help provide image tags in DCCWiki, see Help:Untagged images.
  • Finally, scroll down to see the whole set of tagging options.
  • See also Help:Template messages/Image namespace


Tagging options

For image creators

If you are the photographer, designer, or otherwise the creator of an original work, you don't need to sort through this whole list. Ideally, we would like you to license your work under a "free" license -- with as few restrictions as possible. The licenses in this section are designed not so much to restrict use of your work, but to keep it free. Some people group these under the generic term copyleft.

Each license takes the form of a template, a short snippet of text that causes a license box to be displayed under your image. Copy the whole thing, including the {{double braces}}, and paste it in along with your description when you upload your work. You can also use the new drop-down menu.

  • {{cc-by-sa-2.5}} -- Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike. This is one of several CC licenses. This version permits free use, including commercial use; requires that you be attributed as the creator; and requires that any derivative creator or redistributor of your work use the same license.
  • {{pd-self}} -- Public Domain. There is some question whether it is possible under existing law to release one's work into the public domain; but this is still the "license" of choice for some.

Note that many creators license their works under more than one of these free licenses. There is no limit to the number of license tags you may apply -- although some may contradict one another.

There are many other licenses you may choose to grant to your own work; please see below. Please remember that our intent is not to add a burden to you; we appreciate your willingness to allow your work to be published. For legal purposes, we do need a legal license.

Public domain

Remember that most images you find on the Web are not public domain, even if they list no explicit copyright information. Images only qualify as being in the public domain if they fall under certain specific categories described below — very old works, works by certain government employees, and works where an explicit disclaimer of copyright has been made in writing by the author.

For a simple chart on US Public Domain regulations (DCCWiki servers are located in the US and fall under US guidelines) see the chart here.

General public domain images

  • {{Military-Insignia}} - for images of any national military rank.
  • {{PD}} - for when author has put into the public domain or the author died over 70 years ago (pre-1936). Consider first using the following subtags:
    • {{PD-flag-50}} - for images of national, governmental, or historical flags out of copyright in those countries with copyright terms of life of the author plus 50 years
    • {{PD-flag-70}} - for images of national, governmental, or historical flags out of copyright in those countries with copyright terms of life of the author plus 70 years
    • {{PD-flag-100}} - for images of national, governmental, or historical flags out of copyright in those countries with copyright terms of life of the author plus 100 years
    • {{PD-flag-US}} - for images of national, governmental, or historical flags out of copyright in the United States
    • {{PD-ineligible}} - for images that are inherently ineligible for copyright protection because they are based exclusively on common knowledge with no element of creativity. An example would be Image:F Major key signature.png or things like multiplication tables. If you have any doubts, please ask.
    • {{PD-old}} - for images where the author died more than 100 years ago (1906). (Note: not where the work, image, or subject is 100 or more years old)
      • {{PD-old-50}} - for images published before 1923 where the author died more than 50 years ago (1956). (Note: not where the work, image, or subject is 50 or more years old)
      • {{PD-old-70}} - for images where the author died more than 70 years ago (1936). (Note: not where the work, image, or subject is 70 or more years old.)
    • {{PD-stamp}} - for postage stamps known to be in the public domain for whatever reason, such as age, or because the issuing authority explicitly puts stamps in the public domain (US before 1978, Faeroes).

Public domain dedications

These tags are used for an author to attempt to release their work into the public domain, disclaiming any copyright. However, if you use this, consider also using a license tag such as {{CopyrightedFreeUse}}, in case this is ineffective in your jurisdiction; see Help: Granting work into the public domain.

  • {{PD-release}} - when the creator has made a statement releasing the work to public domain
    • {{PD-link}} - a statement intended to release a contributor's own work into public domain and request an entirely optional link back to DCCWiki from anyone reproducing it
    • {{PD-self}} - a statement intended to release a contributor's own work into public domain
    • {{PD-user|username}} - a statement intended to release a particular user's own work into public domain by a Wikipedian
    • {{PD-retouched-user|username}} - remarking that a previous PD work has been digitally enhanced, and re-released into public domain by a Wikipedian.

Public domain art

  • {{PD-art}} - for images of works of art where the artist died more than 100 years ago. But if the person or organization who digitized it has released it under another license, list that other license as well as this one.
    • {{PD-art-life-50}} - for images of works of art published before 1923 where the artist died more than 50 years ago. But if the person or organization who digitized it has released it under another license, list that other license as well as this one.
    • {{PD-art-life-70}} - for images of works of art where the artist died more than 70 years ago. But if the person or organization who digitized it has released it under another license, list that other license as well as this one.
    • {{PD-art-US}} - for images of works of art published in the United States prior to 1923. But if the person or organization who digitized it has released it under another license, list that other license as well as this one.

Other public domain images

Free licenses

"Any-purpose" copyright

  • {{Attribution}} - For images that require attribution.
    • For your own images, consider using {{cc-by-2.0}}, below, instead.
  • {{CopyrightedFreeUse}} - The image is copyrighted, but is free to use for any purpose. See also {{NoRightsReserved}} below.
  • {{CopyrightedFreeUse-Link}} - The image is free to use for any purpose, but requests an entirely optional link back to DCCWiki.
  • {{CopyrightedFreeUse-User}} - A particular DCCWiki user is the copyright holder, but releases all rights to it.
  • {{CopyrightedFreeUseProvidedThat|restrictions}} - For example, provided that credit is given and copyright is attributed. Note that non-commercial or educational use restrictions are not allowed as provisions in this tag. Consider using {{GFDL}} or one of the Creative Commons licenses below, instead of trying to make up your own restrictions.
  • {{EU image}} - Images from the website of the European Union are copyrighted, but reproduction is authorised, provided the source is acknowledged and unless otherwise stated.
  • {{No rights reserved}} for images to which the author has released all rights - essentially a more explicit version of {{CopyrightedFreeUse}} above.
  • {{Trainweb}} - Images from TrainWeb, allowable if www.trainweb.com is printed near the photo.[1]

Creative Commons Licenses

Creative Commons, some rights reserved.

Other Creative Commons licenses exist but are non-free for use in DCCWiki. See Non-free Creative Commons licenses for a full list and explanation.

Free Art license (License Art Libre)

GNU licenses

Heckert GNU white.svg
Version >= 1.2

Fair use

All material under fair use is copyrighted to begin with (if the material is known not to be copyrighted, use the appropriate public domain tag instead). Each material under fair use claim must include a reason for fair use. Please review rationale for fair use and fair use. Help:Image copyright tags/Fair use

Images of unknown usability

The following tags do not adequately indicate whether they can be used on DCCWiki. Please add source and licence information, if not provided, and a fair use rationale if the image is being used under fair use.

  • {{Coat of arms}} - For images of a "Coat of arms" or crest whose copyright and licence status are unknown.
  • {{flagimage}} - Images of governmental flags whose copyright status is unknown.
  • {{PD-Germany}} - for photographic works and other images where the German photographer (or creator) died more than 70 years ago. Due to this tag's history, many images whose creators died less than 70 years ago are tagged with this tag. Source and licencing information should be added.

Presumed free images

  • {{GFDL-presumed}} These are images that have been unverified to be free of copyright issues, but some user in good faith believes to have been created by the uploader and hence are mostly public domain or GFDL, i.e. redistributable under the GFDL. This is especially useful for images uploaded until mid-2004, at a time when uploaders weren't warned to add image copyright tags. In the early years of DCCWiki all images were presumed to be GFDL-compatible unless found to be otherwise (and deleted, usually), and most images were hence not tagged with their copyright status.

Tags for deprecated images

Unfree Images

These tags are used to mark images that are deprecated, and which will eventually be deleted.

On September 20, 2004, Help:Possibly unfree images began accepting listings for images used in DCCWiki that either do not have a license or are currently listed with a non-free license. In mid 2005 however images lacking source and/or license information became a criterion for speedy deletion, and subsequently the PUI process was amended to deal with cases of disputed copyright status and non-free images instead.

The following tags are for use on such images. Though these images are unwanted, they should not be deleted immediately but proceed to be slowly and respectfully weeded out.

  • {{PUIdisputed}} - used for images where the stated copyright status is disputed. If the status can not be resolved the image is usually deleted after beeing listed for 14 days.
  • {{PUInonfree}} - used for images with a noted non-free license. If an alternative license is not found, these images will be deleted after 14 days.

In both cases {{idw-pui|Image:ImageName.jpg}} should be added to the uploaders talk page, {{unverifiedimage}} should be put into the caption of the image where it is used, and the image should then be listed on the Help:Possibly unfree images page so the image can be properly processed.

Copyright violations

This tag is used to mark images which violate copyright, and which will quickly be deleted.

Bad images

These tags are used to mark images which are deprecated, and which will eventually be deleted.

  • {{Missing image}} - for images that cannot be deleted using the standard deletion procedure due to bugs in the MediaWiki software. Generally, these images have to be manually deleted by a developer.

General non-free licenses

Only upload images of this license type if you are the original author. Please consider licensing the work under a Creative Commons License that is acceptable for use in DCCWiki or releasing it into Public Domain. See Help:Image_copyright_tags#Creative_Commons_Licenses.

  • {{copyrighted}} - permission is given for use on DCCWiki only, and does not include third parties.
  • {{CopyrightedNotForProfitUseProvidedThat|reason}} - Eg. provided that credit is given and copyright is attributed.
  • {{no license|month={{subst:CURRENTMONTHNAME}}|day={{subst:CURRENTDAY}}|year={{subst:CURRENTYEAR}}}} - for an image with author information but no notice about licensing information.
  • {{no source|month={{subst:CURRENTMONTHNAME}}|day={{subst:CURRENTDAY}}|year={{subst:CURRENTYEAR}}}} - for an image with no source information.
  • {{noncommercial}} - where there is general non-commercial permission.
  • {{noncommercialProvided}} reason - where there is general non-commercial permission provided that... (e.g.) the photographer is credited. For example, images from IMDb cannot be reproduced for sale and credit must be supplied. However, these images may possibly be used under other categories such as fair use such as promotional head shots of people.

Non-free Creative Commons licenses

Only upload images of this license type if you are the original author. Please consider licensing the work under a Creative Commons License that is acceptable for use in DCCWiki or releasing it into Public Domain. See Help:Image_copyright_tags#Creative_Commons_Licenses.

  • {{cc-nc}} - NonCommercial
  • {{cc-by-nc}} - Attribution-NonCommercial

Rationale

But why? ... we hear you cry.

Well, it is a few things:

  1. What's "fair use" in one country may not be "fair use" in another country; this allows people creating derivative works in other countries to extract images which aren't legal in their country.
  2. It is harder to create decent images than decent text, so the temptation to break copyright is bigger, so we like to be a bit more vigilant. For this very reason, sublicenses of DCCWiki are going to be especially concerned about images, particularly for printed versions.
  3. Secondly, it's easy to rewrite text that turns out to be copyrighted, but harder (though possible) to do the same for images.
  4. It is good practice to cite our sources, where we've (legally) copied images from elsewhere. If we give due credit, we're more likely to get permission (and some licenses require due credit anyway).
  5. Where DCC-pedians have created the images, they should have a bit of fame! Putting some text on the image description page that they took it themselves, and they license it under the GFDL, is a good way to do that.

Creating new tags or sub-category

If you are uploading a relatively large collection of images, you should consider creating a new tag and sub-category for them. Before doing so, please propose the tag on Talk:DCCWiki Image copyright tags first. Many new tags are quickly deleted because they are overly vague or overly specific, redundant, or are for images of dubious copyright or licencing status. Discussing the tag before creating it ensures that these pitfalls are avoided.

If you are not familiar with how to create templates which add images to categories, please ask for assistance before attempting, in order to save the time and effort which results from needing to fix incorrectly created tags. Be sure to add Category:Image copyright tags to the template by adding the following at the bottom: 

<noinclude>[[Category:Image copyright tags|{{PAGENAME}}]]</noinclude>

Image template notice

Each copyright tag such as {{Fairuse}} should correspond to a Category. Placing such a tag on an image will automatically put it into that category, because that template should already belong to that category. Using {{Fairuse}} as an example, each of such category should have a notice by using the tag {{Image template notice|Fairuse}} of the template Template:Image template notice that renders as:

See also

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