Wikimedia Public Domain images

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Wikimedia Public Domain images

It says 'any purpose'

surfgatinho

9:01 am on Feb 1, 2013 (gmt 0)

I have an image gallery with around 3,000 photos in. As 99.9% are taken by me I feel it is fair for their to be a copyright note on the template stating "Copyright me - unless otherwise stated".

There are a couple of images from Wikimedia in my gallery. They are both Public Domain with the copyright surrendered and in the description it says the owner "grants anyone the right to use this work for any purpose".

Now I have received an email from the owner telling me he doesn't mind me using the photos but he wants the copyright notice removed.
2 things:

1) I interpret any purpose as meaning this - not that I particularly care about claiming copyright on these photos.

2) My galleries are built on templates, so removing the copyright text is not totally straightforward.

I'll get back to the original owner and sort out some compromise but I am interested to hear any legal perspecives on this.

Thanks,
Chris

BeeDeeDubbleU

9:43 am on Feb 1, 2013 (gmt 0)

I think you would have to distinguish between your images and the others.

jimbeetle

11:20 pm on Feb 1, 2013 (gmt 0)

That the copyright owner has the right to determine how images can be used doesn't mean that any claim to copyright is being forfeited.

1) I interpret any purpose as meaning this - not that I particularly care about claiming copyright on these photos.

And that's exactly what you did by putting your copyright notice on the pictures.

topr8

11:35 pm on Feb 1, 2013 (gmt 0)

>>2) My galleries are built on templates, so removing the copyright text is not totally straightforward.

well that's your issue, not theirs. claiming copyright over something that is illegal in the uk and i imagine elsewhere too.