open source /public domain

[hunkydorey]

Just want peoples opinion on whether a picture available on the bbc website is in the public domain for UK payers of the licence fee ?

if not would this change if the picture also appears on a google images search ?

or if it appears on Wikipedia ?

all views welcome....

Has anyone fallen foul of copyright laws ?

 

[mojoco]

Just want peoples opinion on whether a picture available on the bbc website is in the public domain for UK payers of the licence fee ?

if not would this change if the picture also appears on a google images search ?

or if it appears on Wikipedia ?

all views welcome....

Has anyone fallen foul of copyright laws ?

As far as I am aware you are OK using an image such as this from the public domain so long as you credit the BBC for it .

 

[stevebrowne]

I think the BBC spend millions buying rights to this sort of thing, so I don't think that just because it is on their site it is free to use at all. If it's on Wikipedia, it should say whether there are republishing restrictions or not.

Google Images is no inidication at all, and is FULL of copyright images.

I know a number of commercial photographers and web designers who wouldn't think twice about sending an immediate invoice for unauthorised use, with interets being added at the legal rate until you pay it. And they tend to win their court cases if people ignore the invoices, as at the end of the day, the other person has stolen their work.

Magistrates are wise to the "well it was on the Internet so I thought it was free" line of defence. It doesn't work...

Obviously if you are using a press shot that is designed for promotion purposes, then it's unlikely anyone would persue you as that is what they are meant for,

 

[accelerator]

I very much doubt you would have any rights at all. Try this instead, it explains it all:

http://www.lifehacker.com/software/...live-6-ways-to-find-reusable-media-197538.php

Rgds

Accelerator

 

[hunkydorey]

Many thanks

Thanks for you for your replies

I've bought dozens of pictures from istockphoto but have also used a couple from wiki; I've opted out of all my .uks so I add a couple of credits and all should be hunkydorey