[cc-community] Attributing when there is no name

jonathon jonathon.blake at gmail.com
Fri Oct 19 17:58:43 EDT 2007


Complex wrote:

> Is there a standard behavior I should follow in this case?

For an image, my position is that if there is no attributable name in
the metadata, then the image is "All Rights Reserved".  If there is an
attributable name, then verify with that individual that the image
uses the CC license that you found it under.

FWIW, the same thing applies to audio and video files as well.

> Is there another option besides not using the image?

If you don't like the name to be used to attribute the image at,then
don't use the image.  There are probably thousands of similar images
out there, with an attributable name that is acceptable to your
organization.

#######

I realize that the point of the CC licenses is so that one doesn't
have to contact the copyright owner for permission to use the work.
With images, I've noticed two disturbing trends:
* Third parties slapping a CC license onto work without the legal
authority to do so;
* Copyright owners are switching from CC licenses to All Right Reserved;

A second reason for contacting the copyright owner is to negotiate
clearance for rights that CC licenses to do not address.

xan

jonathon


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