[WikiEN-l] Creation of user photographs

[Peter Mackay]

> From: wikien-l-bounces at Wikipedia.org 
> [mailto:wikien-l-bounces at Wikipedia.org] On Behalf Of Steve Bennett
> 
> On 5/22/06, Peter Mackay <peter.mackay at bigpond.com> wrote:
> >
> > In the case you outline, I would suggest fair use. Releasing a 
> > photograph to which you do not hold the copyright into the public 
> > domain is morally indefensible, even if it is a very small 
> sin and you 
> > will get away with it.
> 
> This whole conversation is getting a bit silly. 

If so, why keep on participating. Personally, I'm grateful for the
discussion steering me towards a possible solution.

> But I don't 
> agree with your statement that releasing a copyrighted image 
> into PD (insofar as that's actually possible) is necessarily 
> morally wrong. Would my mother care if I published her photo 
> of flowers all over the web with PD marked on it? It is not 
> necessarily the case that any copyright holder actually 
> values that copyright. Therefore it is not necessarily the 
> case that violating it is actually wrong.

It's morally wrong in any sort of degree. Stealing a cent is the same crime
as stealing a million.

Whether you are going to be prosecuted for it is an entirely different
question.

Claiming copyright over something you don't own is morally wrong, even if
nobody gives a rat's bum.

Which is pretty much how I feel about this end of the conversation.

Peter