Does Wikitree Allow Images of Books Still in Copyright?

Question

I have been working on Maxson profiles and have come across images of pages of a copyrighted book.  Although one page might be fair use, there are three pages of the book posted on several profiles.  I realize that it is the source for the info on the profile, but shouldn't it be a short quote or a reference, not copied images of pages?

Answer 1

Paragraph 6 of the Honor Code is

We respect copyrights. We don't knowingly copy information that's owned by someone else. If we ourselves want to preserve a copyright, we're clear about what's copyrighted so others don't accidentally copy it.

so I agree the images should be removed and just a summary of what is written should be on the profile along with the source information.

Comments

I post copyrighted material on Wikitree profiles any time I can...

 

... can get the permission of the copyright holder, that is.

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But your own quote in the help section discourages just copying things to profiles Rob.  Cite it as a source but when we can but it is better to summarize in our own words to show that we actually did read it and not just copied it blindly.

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I stand by both comments.

The statement you refer to found here [link] is in regards to copying text (copyrighted or not) into biographies - I emphatically support the position that OUR content should be created by the members of OUR community.

This question however is about posting images (including pdf) of a copyrighted work to a profile. If a work is under copyright it is unlikely to be available to researchers on the numerous free sites out there (archive.org, hathitrust,org, google books, etc.).

In the (rare) event a copyright holder (who has been notified of Wikitree's terms, particularly on "Ownership and Use of Content") is willing to give permission to make their work, or excerpts of it, available on Wikitree - I would definitely post it to a profile so that it is available to researchers. As an image (rather than as editable wikitext) the integrity of the copyrighted work is maintained, but the content that appears in the biography is still created by members of our community.

There is no value in uploading books that are uncopyrighted or out-of-copyright to profiles because those can already be made available to researchers on sites like the ones already mentioned (archive.org et al.). That is their purpose.

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Rob, 

I too have found that most authors' [that I have contacted], of published works would so much rather the actual blurb be used, with full credit given to the AUTHOR, than to have their research 'plagiarized' (making others believe that someone other than the author did the REAL work). 

Another example is 'bandwidth thieft'

"Deep linking" is the practice of providing links to interior pages within a Web site without directing people using the link through the host site's main page. Some site owners see deep linking as problematic because it takes control over the viewer's experience away from them and may create confusion over whose site is whose. For sites with commercial advertising or subscriptions, for example, deep linking may mean users get to see the content of the site without having to "pay" for the information by first accessing advertisements placed on a welcome page or by paying for the subscription. Other people see linking as a necessary part of Web design and argue that deep links actually provide a service by steering users to the linked sites.

from: http://www.ala.org/advocacy/copyright/copyrightarticle/hypertextlinking

Answer 2

I'm flagging this topic again because I continue to see images on profiles where those images are of copyrighted work. A particularly favorite book for stealing from appears to be New England Marriages Prior to 1700. 

When such images are seen on profiles, they should be removed by detaching links to any profiles listed on them. 

Comments

Links are simple bandwidth theft, and a lazy way of trying to document true sources.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BTI_--V_XU

 the Author Clarence A. Torrey died in 1962, but Elizabeth Petty Bentley is on Facebook; https://www.facebook.com/epbentley/  

asking to use a blurb (not entire parts of the book), and NOT charging to see these postings - typically get positive answers from the author (or co-author, in this case).

Example of text within genealogy texts: 

Copyright Q 1980 by the Pike County Historical Society, 
Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be 
reproduced except for genealogical items and short port- 
ions for the purpose of review without permission of the 
publishers.

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Debra, this thread is about images of entire pages (not blurbs) of copyrighted work being posted.