[WikiEN-l] using wikipedia content to seed a social startup

[David Gerard]

On 14/05/07, Amir Michail <amichail at gmail.com> wrote:

> But how can I detect modified Wikipedia content?  Again, presumably, I
> would take action upon hearing a complaint from Wikipedia?


Ah, no. You're thinking in entirely the wrong frame here.

Wikipedia doesn't own any of the content of the pages. That is owned
by its creators, all the individuals named in the "history" tab.

The threat model in copyright questions is "will I get in trouble as
having violated someone's copyrights?" With free-content licenses such
as the GFDL, you should be able to use GFDL licensed content without
prior permission - that's the point.

So you need to satisfy the requirements of the GFDL, as listed in the
license, to a sufficient degree that none of the authors of the
particular text in question would have a reasonable case against you.

Read the GFDL. From that text, what can you think of that would
satisfy the requirements therein?


- d.