[Foundation-l] Clearing up Wikimedia's media licensing policies

Sat Feb 10 05:29:12 UTC 2007

Is there any chance I could get some input on the issues I raised? Or
does it take 200 messages to get Board attention? :P

http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/foundation-l/2007-February/027549.html

Re: Kat's statement that "[N]o project may have content policies less
restricive, or that allow licenses other than those allowed on
Wikimedia Commons[...]"

*in interpreting country-specific "public domain" laws, Commons has on
occasion chosen to interpret the laws in a more restrictive way than
local projects. In such cases, the local project sometimes chooses to
keep their less restrictive interpretation and transfer the images
from Commons to that project. (Specific example: IT.wp and
{{PD-Italy}})
* German logos - DE.wp regards the threshold of originality for
copyright to apply as much higher than Commons and EN.wp in general,
meaning that many logos Commons deletes as "copyrighted", DE.wp keeps
as "PD-ineligible, although trademarked"

Also, the wording in Kat's statement implies that "Foundation policy"
can be equated
with "licenses allowed on Wikimedia Commons". One one hand, the WMF is
unlikely to want to start handing out an explicit list of acceptable
licenses, so that is understandable. But on the other it means that
the nuances of Foundation policy are being decided on one wiki and
having conseuqences for all wikis. Correct me if I'm wrong but this is
the first time this happens, I think.
If this is correct, will the WMF be supplying some legal assistance
from time to time for Commons? Or - ?

cheers
Brianna