I am considering automating an upgrade of a large number of images
that I previously uploaded from the Imperial War Museum's (IWM)
website.[1] My original uploads were carefully selected to be public
domain by having expired Crown copyright (over 50 years old) and since
uploading a small number have been deleted on other grounds, most
notably those taken or created by members of the German military and
where the photographs were seized during the war and claimed by the UK
Ministry of Information.
Here's the rub - by doing this, the IWM may argue that I am bending
database rights by systematically accessing their website for
downloads. At the current time, the IWM make no statement with regard
to this aspect of copyright, see [2].
I am thinking of writing to the IWM's IP Manager (again) before
starting this upload/upgrade project, so that I can produce good faith
correspondence to protect myself if this is challenged in the future.
Any thoughts from fellow Commoners?
PS though I am pondering raising this on the Village Pump, I am
hesitant to do this yet, based on past experience I suspect someone
would prime the IWM as soon as I do so.
Links:
1.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User_talk:F%C3%A6#Higher_resolution_IWM_…
2.
http://www.iwm.org.uk/corporate/privacy-copyright
Fae
--
faewik(a)gmail.com
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Fae