View Full Version : Copyright help needed for website
3-2-count
10-25-2009, 03:13 PM
All,
I'm currently working on a website and have chosen a few pictures for my site banner that will sit at the top of my page. The images I have chosen are very popular and can be found throughout the web on various other websites if Googled. All of the images below were on "Wikipedia" which is where I've drug them from. Does anyone have any experience with copyrights involving photo's if used for a personal website. I want to make 100% certain I'm not violating anyone's copyright's with the photo's I've chosen. Below are the photo's in question. Any input anyone can give would be much appreciated since my experience in this field is zero.
Thank you, Tony A.
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a95/andreatny/web1-1.jpghttp://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a95/andreatny/web2-1.jpg
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a95/andreatny/web3-1.jpghttp://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a95/andreatny/web4-1.jpg
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a95/andreatny/web5-1.jpg
ChrisStufflestreet
10-25-2009, 03:29 PM
I'm no expert in copyrights...but if you picked those images off of Wikipedia...you can go back there, find where you found the pictures and click on them. In Wikipedia, every image has its own page where copyright info is given. If they say "public domain" you're OK. If they have a name for the copyright holder, you should be able to contact that person and ask for permission to use the images.
3-2-count
10-25-2009, 05:44 PM
Chris,
Thanks so much for the info on the copyright question I've asked.
I did as you stated & located the image on the Wikipedia site and do
see where many are listed as (PD), public domain. I have made the
appropriate changes to my images. Your the best!!
Regards, Tony A.
Given the age of the photos, it's very likely the copyrights have expired, but it would take some real digging to confirm that.
FrankWakefield
10-25-2009, 07:25 PM
You may well have a trademark issue, with that Tigers D... not that great of a concern if it is a not for profit activity. MLB licenses all of that stuff. What's your website going to be doing?
And the likenesses of Ruth and Cobb are protected and trademarked, and active. I think something called Curtiss Managment. I just Googled it, Curtis Management Group is the name. Here's a link to an article that mentions it. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1141565/index.htm
They may well market Wagner, and others, too...
3-2-count
10-25-2009, 08:35 PM
Hi Frank. I've done away with every image listed above and chosen new ones that are listed as public domain photos just to be safe. My site will be profitable since it will be a buy-sell-trade (.com) type site so covering all my bases now is very important to me. Thanks for the heads up regarding the logo's possibly being licensed.
I'll take all this into consideration.
Tony
FrankWakefield
10-25-2009, 09:13 PM
Sorry about that. I knew that Ruth's likeness is protected, and several other iconic players. Many folks just ignore it and go on... which isn't the right thing to do.
Wish you well with your site.
slantycouch
10-25-2009, 09:44 PM
I think CMG actually represents Cobb, Ruth, and others now.
I think you made the right choice Tony by choosing other photos.
Edit: here's their client list: http://www.cmgworldwide.com/corporate/clients.html
According to Wikipedia, as the images were first published before 1923 they are public domain.
Also, most of the old baseball images on the Library of Congress site are public domain. This is in part due to the age and in part because the LOC is a public institution that allows free use of the images it owns. All of the George Grantham Bain images, for example, are scans of the original negatives donated to the LOC, and the LOC allows anyone to use the images.
slantycouch
10-26-2009, 05:25 AM
I understand the idea of public domain and how they apply to those images, but what does that mean in this situation, when the "likeness" of an individual is covered?
The photo(s) itself are free to use.... but the likeness of the player is not. Anyone know how that ultimately applies in a situation like this?
Regardless of copyrights, if you're just using them for a personal website it really doesn't matter. I have several personal websites and I've always created banners with images from google searching -- that's what billions of sites and blogs do. Worst case scenario is that you're asked to remove them, but you're more likely to get struck by lightning. There's no RIAA for images who are hell bent on ruining people's lives.
Now if you were running a registered business, then you may want to be more careful.