Following a one-week poll, Meta-Wiki has switched to a
different logo.
I like the design, but I have a major concern regarding its copyright
status.
The icon (available at Commons as Image:Wikimedia Community Logo.svg)
was released by its creator into the public domain. My understanding
is that each project's logo _must_ be copyrighted by the Wikimedia
Foundation and _not_ be available under a free license or in the
public domain, thereby ensuring that its use is legally restricted to
the identification of said project.
Anyone can legally use the new Meta-Wiki logo for any purpose without
any conditions, so there's nothing to ensure that it will remain a
unique identifier and not be utilized in contexts of which the
Foundation disapproves. It could legally be used as the logo for a
non-Wikimedia wiki (thereby implying affiliation), a pizza shop, a
product appearing on store shelves, a pornography website, a racist
organization, or anything else.
I wonder whether someone from the Foundation's legal department or
public relations department was consulted. I'm worried that the idea
might have been implemented without the knowledge of those with the
authority to approve it. I raised this issue on the poll's talk page
[
http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Meta_talk:Babel/Metawiki_logo_poll#Copyright…],
and thus far, the only response is a claim that I'm mistaken about the
requirements.
Can anyone shed some light on this?
Hello,
The Foundation is aware that the community logo was PD. It was done on
purpose so that the community could use a logo without having to request
authorization.
As for the decision to switch meta from the Foundation logo to the
community logo, I think I remember that the vote was announced on this
list, so that the Foundation had the opportunity to jump in.
Ant