Wikipedia:Non-free content
The United States copyright doctrine of fair use gives some allowances for educational or non-commercial uses of copyrighted material. However, our primary goal on Wikipedia is to create a free (as in "speech") encyclopedia which can be used by downstream users without restrictions and limitations. That's why fair use should generally be kept at a minimum.
Cases where fair use may apply:
- Unique historical images which we cannot reproduce by other means
- Samples of popular music
- Book and CD album covers
- Corporate logos
Requests for fair use
Because fair use is such a controversial issues, a single person cannot decide whether any piece of content can be used under this guideline. This page is intended to seek consensus on specific files.
Please list any files which you want to reproduce as "fair use" on this page. During this deliberation process, the files may exist on the server, but should not be linked from any pages but this one. The goal of the discussion phase is to decide whether
- all possible venues for requesting permission have been exhausted. Special permission to Wikipedia is not sufficient! Permission must allow use under the FDL, or the image must be put in the public domain.
- all alternatives have been considered.
There is a deliberation phase of 10 days for every file listed here. This phase may be extended for images where permission has been requested but not yet received.
PLEASE HELP WITH GETTING PERMISSION REQUESTS SENT OUT! If you see an image listed on this page where no request for permission has been sent yet, please take the time and help out. This is crucial to get more images under a free license.
Tagging files
If it has been determined that there is no alternative to fair use for a specific file, you may include the file in the relevant article(s) if it is tagged with the message at MediaWiki:verifieduse, which can be included by adding the text {{msg:verifieduse}}. Please also add the source from which the image has eben reproduced.
Images
Proposed by: —Eloquence 16:39, Feb 20, 2004 (UTC)
Rationale:
- Dolly the sheep is dead - no way for us to create an equivalent image.
- Image of historical significance, license on website does only allow noncommercial use.
Alternatives:
- Permission to use as FDL or public domain has not yet been requested.
- Other photos of Dolly the sheep?