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

[Fred Bauder]

>-----Original Message-----
>From: Amir Michail [mailto:amichail at gmail.com]
>Sent: Monday, May 14, 2007 08:11 AM
>To: 'English Wikipedia'
>Subject: Re: [WikiEN-l] using wikipedia content to seed a social startup
>
>On 5/14/07, Thomas Dalton <thomas.dalton at gmail.com> wrote:
>> > But how can I detect modified Wikipedia content?  Again, presumably, I
>> > would take action upon hearing a complaint from Wikipedia?
>>
>> That is the hard part with any website that accepts contributions from
>> the public. As long as you deal with it promptly when you are informed
>> of the violation, you should be fine. Something on the page where
>> users submit content warning them only to submit stuff they own the
>> copyright to would probably be wise.
>
>My service is for social note taking.  It's intended for students to
>take notes from their textbooks, web resources, etc.  Although I could
>encourage users to take notes in their own words, the path of least
>resistance for many might indeed involve copying text fragments.
>
>While for any one user, such contributions may fall under fair use, it
>might be more of an issue for a popular resource where many people are
>taking notes from that resource.
>
>Amir

I think you might have fair use. Shared note taking from classes, combined with excerpts from textbooks, websites, Wikipedia might pass muster, especially if initial imports from Wikipedia were accompanied by a link back and information about the license.

Make a template Template:Wiki with this content:

Adapted from the [[Wikipedia]] article, "{{FULLPAGENAME}}" [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/{{FULLPAGENAMEE}}  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/''{{FULLPAGENAMEE}}''], used under the [[GNU Free Documentation License]].

Then put {{wiki}} at the end of any imported material. Title of the page must conform to the Wikipedia article for this to work.

Your fair use would be as an education use. If it were handled in the manner Facebook is handled, and restricted to enrolled students, that would strengthen your position as would being nonprofit.

I think copying passages from textbooks would be a more significant stumbling block. They are not going to be forgiving.

As you may face significant litigation, you might consult an attorney who is admitted to your local district and appeals Federal courts.

Fred