On 9/19/06, Alphax (Wikipedia email) <alphasigmax(a)gmail.com> wrote:
If you claim that on Commons, you'll be laughed
off the project.
The general assumption on Commons is that the work not be encumbered
by the copyright of others in the originating country as well as the
United States.
There is general but not complete consensus (among those who could be
bothered to argue about it, at least) that images of copyrighted
two-dimensional trademarks where that trademark is the major element
in the picture are not permitted.
A large number, but possibly not a consensus, wish that all pictures
where an identifiable person is the major element in the picture were
taken with the permission of that person, preferably with model
releases.
Others believe that Commons should not concern itself overly with
non-copyright restrictions on image use freedom. That discussion is
not complete and may not ever be.
There is a vocal minority that insists that if an image is permissable
under their own nation's copyright laws, it should be able to be put
on Commons, even if that law does not agree with either (a) the laws
of the originating country (these users are mostly in the US) or (b)
US law (these users are mostly in Germany).
-Matt