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Discussion: Can you help me understand?
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Whitemuzzle |
Can you help me understand?
Jan 19 2012, 4:28 PM EST
I am unclear on some governmental issues. A member yesterday posted a thread on our site saying that if SOPA and /or PIPA bills are passed sites such as ours would be shut down. Warrior Cat Clans 2 is a fan RPG site based on Erin Hunter's Warriors books. From what I've read about SOPA and PIPA, these bills are concerned with sites stealing and distributing copyrighted material. As far as I know our site does neither. (I'm an administrator and have been on our site for almost three years.) Am I understanding this correctly? WCC2 is a fan site and fan clubs have existed for years. Also so that I can dispel any rumors, can you tell me if this member is correct that fan based sites are in danger of being shut down? 2 out of 2 found this valuable. Do you? |
CryingDove |
1. RE: Can you help me understand?
Jan 19 2012, 5:56 PM EST
| Post edited: Jan 19 2012, 5:57 PM EST
These two bills that are in the US congress that have not been signed into law at this time are designed in a manner to protect the intellectual properties such as in movies, songs, videos,software,etc. Where copying and distributing that type of material for free on websites like file sharing, peer to peer and torrent sites are actually taking money away from the industry and the rightful owners/creators of that material. The two proposals are targeting "Piracy" and those allowing the piracy, along with the pirates. Fan sites really do not fit into those categories of theft. Wetpaint has in place rules in their Terms of Service, which all users of Wetpaint Wikis have agreed, stating they would not post any copyright material on their wikis, unless certain legal conditions are met. If copyright infringement is found, then appropriate actions are taken to remove such violations. Youtube and other video warehouses monitor their site to disallow copyright infringement from occurring. The same for Google (same as Youtube). material. With that being said, I do not see any Fan wikis being addressed by these two plans and will not be effected by the language written into SOPA and PIPA. Unless of course the wiki has and is distributing copyright material. If that is the case, those wikis are violating Wetpaint's Terms of Service and can be shut down by Wetpaint without SOPA and PIPA actions coming into play, if those plans are enacted into law. 2 out of 2 found this valuable. Do you? |
bellswebster |
2. RE: Can you help me understand?
Jan 19 2012, 6:37 PM EST
| Post edited: Jan 19 2012, 8:44 PM EST
How do you know if something is copyrighted? I have been to some places on the net and what is copyrighted is usually not something that you can copy as it is blocked, or it is clearly stated with a message near the item/photo. I have come across photos mostly that say they are copyrighted, then I find them on public display somewhere else. Clearly marked for public domain? So how are you suppose to know? Some photos have no credit person to acknoweldge. This goes for articles as well. Things come from all different places on the web so how do you know its not copyrighted? This is my concern. A lot of us are worried about our actor/television fan sites. I don't copy anything with intent to deliberately copyright anything. If there is a name to credit I add it somewhere. I have a list of credits on my actors page to whom we give thanks for the article/picture/information, with added links in some cases. We even have disclaimer saying we do not intent any copyright and if there is a problem let us know.
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CryingDove |
3. RE: Can you help me understand?
Jan 19 2012, 7:19 PM EST
| Post edited: Jan 19 2012, 7:30 PM EST
"How do you know if something is copyrighted? "A basic rule applies here. "If you did not create the photo,image, textual content, video, song or graphic, it is not yours." Someone else created them and are the rightful owners whether there is a copyright. trademark or patent license associated with them. Only those rightful owners can give permission to use them.They can do that is different ways. Creative Commons license, Release to Public Domain, written permission from creator or via a disclaimer at the originating source of the material made by the creator. Creative Commons license allows for portions of the material to be used on non commercial sites. Public Domain is free to copy and use wherever Express written permission is given by the owner, and normally requires a credit statement such as (Used with permission of "creators name" and may require a link back to the originating site.. Any other disclaimer put on material copied without knowing the author/creator is a pseudo-protective mechanism, that essentially means "We are using it and hope we do not get caught,. But if we are, we will remove it from our site" Bottom line - If you cannot determine whether the material is copyrighted or doesn't have usage permissions,. The appropriate action would be not to copy and use it. Do you find this valuable? |
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bellswebster |
5. RE: Can you help me understand?
Jan 19 2012, 8:42 PM EST
| Post edited: Jan 20 2012, 5:29 AM EST
I don't think anyone is aware of most of this. I was aware of your first line.Regarding the Creative Commons license and photos, I'm told are usually considered a 'share' arrangement unless a copyright notice goes with it. It is considered that a fan site was in 'this area', as none of the material on any fan site is for profit or used in any other way other than entertainment purposes. It has to my knowledge been an 'understood' agreement that putting a disclaimer on a site is more of a way of letting any original owners of 'whatever' know, that you are not going to use their 'work' for anything other than to entertain or enlightin the readers on your site. If they are not willing to share they can ask to have it removed. I feel its done in good faith and that its not a deliberate misuse or that you are trying to hide anything. As far as I am aware I don't have anything copyrighted. I was informed a short while ago that it looks like ASOP and PIPA may be all quashed. Its the music industry and movie pirates that are of the most concern. Which I fully understand. Do you find this valuable? |
Naru2008 |
6. RE: Can you help me understand?
Jan 19 2012, 9:05 PM EST
| Post edited: Jan 19 2012, 9:08 PM EST
SOPA* Bells.and Yes, for now, SOPA and PIPA has been dropped due to Obama and his Administration vetoed the bills after Wikipedia and other sites shutting down and going 'Blackout'. But the bills are not over yet. They will be voting for them again in February. -Clay Do you find this valuable? |
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Whitemuzzle |
7. RE: Can you help me understand?
Jan 19 2012, 9:39 PM EST
Thank you so much for your helpful information. I will relay what was said here to the members of WCC2. Hopefully this will squash any rumor mills that have started.
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bellswebster |
8. RE: Can you help me understand?
Jan 19 2012, 9:40 PM EST
"SOPA* Bells.OK thanks Naru. Do you find this valuable? |
