Is it legal to use Wikipedia photos?

You can use (free) images from Wikipedia on your own site, or anywhere you like. You can use images that are freely-licensed images, provided you comply with the individual image's license terms. While all article text is licensed under the GFDL, free images have several free content licenses to choose from.

Are Wikimedia images copyright free?

Media on Wikimedia Commons are either in the public domain or published under a Creative Commons copyright license that allows them to be reused free of charge.

Can you use images from Wikipedia Commons?

All media files on Wikimedia Commons can be used by anyone, including commercially and each media file has information about which license it uses. The most common licenses used are created by Creative Commons which require the author to be credited.

How do I get permission to use an image from Wikipedia?

Is everything on Wikipedia copyright free?

Wikipedia is free content that anyone can edit, use, modify, and distribute. This is a motto applied to all Wikimedia Foundation projects: use them for any purpose as you wish.

Why Wikipedia Uses Such Weird Photos

Are images on Wikipedia free for commercial use?

Wikipedia encourages users to upload their own images. All user-created images must be licensed under a free license, such as a Creative Commons license, or released into the public domain, which removes all copyright and licensing restrictions.

How do you know if an image is copyrighted?

A watermark on an image is a clear sign that the image is copyrighted. Often, the watermark will contain text that indicates the name or company to whom the image belongs: do some googling and find out. Under no circumstances should you attempt to use software to strip the image of its watermark.

How do I get permission to use an image from a website?

All you have to do is contact the original creator and get permission. Whether the copyright owner provides 'free' use of the image, charges a fee, or draws up special limitations varies from person to person.

How do I get permission to use an image from an article?

You send a letter to the holder asking for permission and stating how you intend to use the image. The holder sends a letter back granting you permission. Your request should be as specific as possible in describing the intended use of the image.

How do I credit Wikimedia Commons images?

The following format is required: [Name of the author, title, date of the work. When applicable, names of authors of the common work and, if possible, where to find the originals]. Copyleft: This is a free work, you can copy, distribute, and modify it under the terms of the Free Art License.

Can you freely use images found on the Internet?

The only way to legally use a copyrighted image is to obtain a license or an assignment from the copyright owner. “It's online, so it's free, right?” In a word – NO. Online images are protected by copyright as much as a picture hanging in an art gallery is.

Can you use images from government websites?

Government materials are in the Public Domain. For public domain images, there is no copyright, no permission required, and no charge for their use.

How do you cite a picture from Wikipedia?

A Wikipedia citation usually includes the title of the article, “Wikipedia” and/or “Wikimedia Foundation,” the date the article was last updated, and the URL.

What pictures can I use without copyright?

Photos that are in the public domain are not protected by copyright, have no limitations on use, and no fees for any type of usage. Images in the public domain include most photographs that are more than 100 years old, and any photo produced by a government or government agency.

How can you find copyright free images that you can legally use?

What is fair use Wikimedia?

Fair use is a doctrine in United States law that permits limited use of copyrighted material without having to first acquire permission from the copyright holder.

What happens if you use copyrighted images without permission?

Anyone found to have infringed a copyrighted work may be liable for statutory damages up to $30,000 for each work infringed and, if willful infringement is proven by the copyright owner, that amount may be increased up to $150,000 for each work infringed.

What is fair use of images?

Fair Use - Most teaching- and paper-writing uses of images fall under the famous “fair use” provision (single use for scholarly purposes). Basically, fair use allows academics to use even copyrighted materials a single time to a limited audience without securing the permission of the copyright holder.

Can you use images from other articles?

The right to publish a copyrighted image is controlled by the copyright owner, so each copyrighted image that you use must have permission or fall within an exception to the general copyright statue, such as public domain, fair use, or open access.

Do I have permission to use an image?

Photographs, illustrations and other images will generally be protected by copyright as artistic works. This means that a user will usually need the permission of the copyright owner(s) if they want to perform certain acts, such as copying the image or sharing it on the internet.

Is it legal to use an image from Google Images?

Can I take an image from Google search? You cannot download or use images from Google without seeking permission from the copyright holder, unless your use falls within one of the exceptions or the work is distributed under an open licence such as Creative Commons.

How much of an image is copyrighted?

According to internet lore, if you change 30% of a copyrighted work, it is no longer infringement and you can use it however you want.

Does every image have copyright?

Anyone who creates an image holds its copyright, including the exclusive rights to copy or reproduce it. This is automatic: Copyright exists even if the creator never registers their work with a copyright office. Image copyright exists as soon as an image is created.

Can I use Wikipedia content for commercial use?

Wikimedia projects use free and open copyright licenses which means that anyone may share the information for any purpose. Commercial organizations which take without giving back may face criticism or social pressure.

What images can I use for commercial use for free?

Creative Commons Images. The two main image types to look for are Creative Commons (CC) and public domain images. Both can be a great resource, but each has its own rules: Public domain images are copyright free, so you can use and modify them however you like without paying anything.