[Foundation-l] Clearing up Wikimedia's media licensing policies

[Erik Moeller]

On 2/10/07, Brianna Laugher <brianna.laugher at gmail.com> wrote:
> *in interpreting country-specific "public domain" laws, Commons has on
> occasion chosen to interpret the laws in a more restrictive way than
> local projects. In such cases, the local project sometimes chooses to
> keep their less restrictive interpretation and transfer the images
> from Commons to that project. (Specific example: IT.wp and
> {{PD-Italy}})
> * German logos - DE.wp regards the threshold of originality for
> copyright to apply as much higher than Commons and EN.wp in general,
> meaning that many logos Commons deletes as "copyrighted", DE.wp keeps
> as "PD-ineligible, although trademarked"

In my opinion, those media should be deleted OR migrated to an
exemption doctrine (fair use or similar), and would have to be, under
the draft resolution as it is currently worded.

> Also, the wording in Kat's statement implies that "Foundation policy"
> can be equated
> with "licenses allowed on Wikimedia Commons".

The current draft resolution makes reference to the "Definition of
Free Cultural Works" for the purpose of identifying free licenses:
http://freedomdefined.org/Definition

This would help to separate the process from any specific Wikimedia project.
-- 
Peace & Love,
Erik

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