[WikiEN-l] We need to recognize that advocating is a basic right

[Ray Saintonge]

geni wrote:

>On 5/5/06, Rob Church <robchur at gmail.com> wrote:
>  
>
>>On 05/05/06, geni <geniice at gmail.com> wrote:
>>    
>>
>>>On 5/5/06, Craig Whitford <craigwhitford1 at emailaccount.com> wrote:
>>>      
>>>
>>>>I've heard about the Request for comment from the United States Congress.
>>>>It's true, Wikipedia is used as a PR/spin machine.
>>>>I've also noticed Commons is being used to upload PR pictures too, for spin purposes.
>>>>
>>>>Craig
>>>>        
>>>>
>>>A PR photo is better than nothing.
>>>      
>>>
>>"PR photo" implies non-free licencing, which means that it's not
>>acceptable on Commons, our free media repo. So in this case, and in
>>others, no image *is* better.
>>
>>Rob Church
>>    
>>
>I assumed that people were releasing them under a free lisence (it
>might be a logical course of action for politicians although not so
>much for celebrities).
>
This is one of those areas where fair use would be easily applicable.  
At a time when a copyright notice mattered the publicists could just 
give out these pictures, and no one would give a second thought to their 
re-use.  Many of these pictures simply went into and still are in the 
public domain.  With the notice requirement gone the situation became 
ambiguous.  Perhaps a category "Fair use - PR" should be considered.  
These pictures were intended to be given away free, so using them does 
not harm the primary market for them.  Whether they can be modified 
seems like a non-issue; who would want to?

Ec