[Commons-l] countering systemic bias through copyright translation

[Durova]

Commons:License information has significant gaps in copyright overviews for
developing countries.  This presents real problems for Wikimedians who wish
to upload historic public domain images.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Licensing#License_information

The other day I located two panoramas: Havana harbor and the Panama Canal
being built.  Both are public domain under United States law where the
images were published, but Commons rules require that they also be verified
public domain in the country where they were photographed.  Neither Cuba or
Panama is listed on the license information page, so I've attempted a
translation of the relevant law.  My Spanish is not strong, nor am I
qualified to give legal opinions, so if you can help please verify my
tentative translations posted here:

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Template:Requested_Translations#Spanish_to_English

This raises another issue: which country's copyright laws prevail for the
former Canal Zone?  United States or Panama?  Commons currently hosts some
images of the canal's construction and the ones I checked are marked only as
PD-US, which may or may not be adequate.  And more generally, whose laws
apply when national jurisdiction changes?  I found some other historic
photographs from Africa, but didn't upload them because of these unanswered
questions.

Is there any coordinated effort to fill in the gaps at the Commons:License
information page?  If not, there should be.

-Durova
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