[cc-community] Licensing postcards, etc.
Paul Dixon
paul at elphin.com
Mon Oct 2 03:20:34 EDT 2006
>> Depending on where you are in the world, the material may or may not
>> still be in copyright. If it *is*, you can't licence it to others, as
>> you don't own it. If it *isn't* in copyright, then it's public domain -
>> put it out there and if someone wants to use it commercially, let them
>> (the opportunity cost to you is zero, after all).
>>
>
>
> I'm not so sure it's that simple. Otherwise, how could sellers on eBay
> scan photos & postcards for their auctions, and claim copyright on the
> images? I've seen plenty of them watermarked.
How indeed! If the originals are still in copyright, then these sellers
are in violation of that copyright. "Fair use" or similar legislation
might mean they can distribute a low-resolutions scan for the purposes
of say, selling a postcard collection, but they can't claim copyright
it: someone else owns that copyright.
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