[WikiEN-l] Google Earth screenshots

Fri Nov 24 23:37:08 UTC 2006

On 11/24/06, Stephen Bain <stephen.bain at gmail.com> wrote:
> On 11/24/06, Anthony <wikilegal at inbox.org> wrote:
> > On 11/23/06, Stephen Bain <stephen.bain at gmail.com> wrote:
> > > On 11/23/06, Bogdan Giusca <liste at dapyx.com> wrote:
> > > > Note that some of the images claim "PD".
> > >
> > > In that case the uploaders need a stern talking to. It's hard to
> > > imagine that people don't realise that imagery from Google Earth is
> > > copyrighted when it's plastered all over the bottom of the screen, and
> > > appears in the screenshots.
> > >
> > Just because something claims to be copyrighted doesn't mean it is.
> >
> > Much of Google Earth imagery *is* public domain.  Google has not added
> > the necessary creativity to change this.
> >
> > That said, it's much safer to just use NASA Worldwind.
>
> I didn't say that Google has copyright over imagery in Google Earth. I
> said that the imagery is copyrighted.
>
And I'm saying that not all of it is.

> If you look near the bottom of the screen you'll see the names of the
> copyright holder(s), the imaging companies that Google has sourced the
> satellite imagery from, DigitalGlobe for example.
>
Yes, and if you tilt the image slightly certain copyright claims will
come up (I think DigitalGlobe is one) simply because a sliver of the
horizon (one pixel wide type stuff) is derived from that image.
Again, just because there is a claim of copyright doesn't mean it's
true.