Scobleizer - Latest Comments in Putting photos into public domain

Re: Putting photos into public domain

jorel314 — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 21:08:45 -0000

Hello!

Just wanted to let you know that I added you to the Wikipedia article called "List of notable people who dedicate works to the public domain"

Do you happen to know anyone else that should be added to the list?

Re: Putting photos into public domain

Robert Scoble — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 14:23:23 -0000

You are welcome to use my photos. If you need to have further permissions or clarifications, please email me at scobleizer@gmail.com. Thanks!

Re: Putting photos into public domain

dionne celebre — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 12:50:37 -0000

Hello,

I have a quick question. I want to use your photos posted on Flickr for commerical use. Are they available for that purpose? I read that they were; however, I also noticed that there are restrictions on their usage.

Please advise.
Dionne Celebre

Re: Putting photos into public domain

rich (richmanwisco) — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 19:07:53 -0000

Name dropper :)

Re: Putting photos into public domain

Ryan Malecki — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 11:20:29 -0000

Robert -

It's only recently that I've started following your blogging/posting/twittering/etc but have enjoyed all the things I've seen, heard, and learned from you.

I did notice 1 error in your listing of people/pictures from Davos - Jeff Zucker (#10) is the President and CEO of NBC Universal, not Interactive. Since I work for GE, it was easy to notice :) You can see him here: http://www.ge.com/company/l... at the bottom of the page and his personal bio here: http://www.ge.com/company/l...

Re: Putting photos into public domain

Robert Scoble — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 21:34:10 -0000

Annalie: http://huaqi.fuzing.com/

Re: Putting photos into public domain

Annalie Killian — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 20:34:40 -0000

Hi Robert

What a privilege it must have been to meet with such a diversity of genius in the birthing room of global leadership and change?

I was wondering if you could help me with a website or address for Beijing Hual Digital Information co? A search only leades me back to you, this post and Flickr?

Annalie Killian
AMP, Sydney, Australia
http://www.facebook.com/pro...

Re: Putting photos into public domain

Annalie Killian — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 20:32:04 -0000

Hi Robert.....well....what a privilege it is to be exposed to such a diversity of genius, in the birthing room of global change.

I was wondering if you can help with a website for Beijing Hual Information Digital Technology Co. When I search it, all roads link back to you, this post and flickr!

Annalie Killian
AMP, Sydney, Australia

Re: Putting photos into public domain

David Gerard — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 10:09:44 -0000

Robert - thanks so much for releasing these photos!

On the Wikimedia Commons, public domain shots of people do (or should, in any case) include a note that although the *copyright* is free, personality rights, etc. may well not be.

Even public domain pics should have source, etc. on the photo page where known, because it's relevant and useful information.

Pictures *generally* don't get credited in the caption right there on a Wikipedia article the picture is used in, but may do if the photographer is particularly noteworthy or relevant - it's decided case by case as an editorial decision like any other article content. So your name may show up in captions :-)

Re: Putting photos into public domain

Derek K. Miller — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 18:40:45 -0000

It is a pity that Flickr doesn't offer a Public Domain option for photos. But I'm sure that would open up the likelihood that many people would release stuff into the public domain without understanding what that means, and in some cases without the rights to do so -- as already happens with CC licenses.

Re: Putting photos into public domain

Robert Scoble — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 12:55:10 -0000

Peter: good point. Any photo used for commercial purposes (which both of those examples you used do) should have model releases.

Re: Putting photos into public domain

Peter Cooper — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 12:53:30 -0000

By the way, just to elaborate on something Scoble said, it's not just advertising that demands you get a release. While newspapers and most informational uses (such as Wikipedia entries) would not require a release, even using a picture as decoration on your home page or making a wallpaper that you distribute non-commercially would require a release (and that's not really "advertising"). Of course, almost no-one adheres to these rules, but it can open you up to litigation nonetheless (but almost everything nowadays can..)

Re: Putting photos into public domain

Peter Cooper — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 12:46:12 -0000

For those who seem to find the idea of the public domain ghastly, take a look at SQLite. SQLite has done a lot of good for developers over the past several years, and is totally in the public domain. Even Apple use it to power their Mail app.

I release most (though not all) of my software, libraries, and similar contributions into the public domain, except for things I actively make money from, because I want to make the world a better place (and I don't care much about global warming, so I do it in other ways!) Scoble is to be applauded on this move, not questioned, because what you sow, you tend to reap further down the line.

Also, Creative Commons do have a public domain dedication. It's just that Flickr doesn't use it for some reason.

Re: Putting photos into public domain

David Dalka — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 11:36:54 -0000

Very nice demonstration of your viewpoint Robert!

Re: Putting photos into public domain

vinnie mirchandani — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 08:31:06 -0000

Robert, glad to see the mood at least around technology there was upbeat...was concerned the overall global economic malaise would dominate the conversations there

Re: Putting photos into public domain

anon — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 03:46:46 -0000

All my photos are in the public domain now.

Bravo, Robert! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

(and I will always attribute)

Re: Putting photos into public domain

francine hardaway — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 18:30:31 -0000

What an incredible amount of brain power Davos assembles. I hope there are some outcomes, other than the "rich and famous" socializing with each other. Do you see an opportunity for something to really happen?

Re: Putting photos into public domain

thomas — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 16:24:15 -0000

Salubri,

Do you realize that the majority of photographers / artist who are hammering home the importance of being credited and rewarded for their work do so because they are trying to make a living from them.

While it is great that Scoble makes his photos available for free use I doubt he would do the same with his book "naked conversations". (Robert if you do change your mind about that send me a PDF copy to my email address).

Point is, some people are trying to make a living from photography and as such need to receive a payment of some form. The reason they require copyright notice is so other people are aware this is rights managed image and payment for the use is required

Re: Putting photos into public domain

Herschel — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 14:43:48 -0000

You know, I glad I'm not in the publishing business cause the copyright and useage laws are pretty detailed.

But, I think in this particular case, where Scoble shot these people in a public forum as news worthy items the images can be used for such purposes.

Problaby can't use Bono's image shot there for a beer advertisement. But as a blogger I could use the image in my blog where I'm discussing something in reference to him.

But I think the fact is Robert has given everyone permission to use the images without compensation to him, which isn't the same as saying "use this image any way you want." Scoble doesn't have that much power, YET.

Re: Putting photos into public domain

Thomas Hawk — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 13:17:59 -0000

Robert, fantastic work in capturing this historic summit. It's great to see the work made so freely available and adds greatly to the historical record of the event for generations ahead.

Re: Putting photos into public domain

Robert Scoble — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 13:06:39 -0000

Tomi: everyone except me was interesting at Davos. It was like being a kid in a candy store. My only regret? That I couldn't meet all of the 3,000 participants.

Re: Putting photos into public domain

Robert Scoble — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 13:06:06 -0000

Orcmid: that is true. If you want to use these images in an advertisement you need additional permissions. But you don't need to get mine.

Re: Putting photos into public domain

orcmid — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 13:05:44 -0000

"fortes: you do NOT need a release of your subject to put them into public domain. The only reason you need a release from a subject is if you’d like to use them in advertising where their use might imply an endorsement of the subject. Professional photojournalists never get releases of subjects they take in public places, which is where I got all of these photos."

Let's be clear about something. You can only make a quite claim to rights that you have. Not to rights that you don't have. Your copyright in a photo does not include a right possessed by the subject of the photo and not you. That's why there are separate releases.

I am not disputing that the rights of people to their own image is diminished in public activities, but your making a public domain declaration is independent of that and people who use your image need to be just as careful as someone who purchases it from you.

Re: Putting photos into public domain

Tomi Itkonen — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 12:58:33 -0000

That list is simply impressive. I wouldn't have guessed that World Economic Forum draws that kind of roster... A surprising amount of tech people participated i.e. not all were political leaders or economists.

Re: Putting photos into public domain

orcmid — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 12:57:43 -0000

OK, two problems. First, of course, Flickr has the photos under Creative Commons Attribution. You can declare that no attribution is required, but it doesn't show on Flickr. You probably need the declaration to be on your profile on Flickr, if there is a way to do that. This would be a natural place for people to find out what attribution satisfies your license. (By the way, the U.S. Copyright Code has no means to put material in the public domain. You have the copyright whether you want it or not, it will expire whether you want it to or not -- unless you are Disney Corp -- and the most you can do is make a quit claim, which you are doing.)

The second problem is more serious. While you can grant free use of your photograph, the subjects of the photograph have something to say about the use of their image. This is especially the case if a commercial use is made of the photograph. Unless you have model releases, and say what they are (they usually have to be in writing) your copyright license is important but insufficient for someone to do whatever they want with the image. I bet you know something about that from your work in a camera shop. Nothing has changed.

Notice, for example, that the Nikon School group on Flickr requires that contributors of images to the group are required to have obtained the necessary releases for images of identifiable people. Notice that your CC-attribution license is sufficient for this except for the possession of releases:
http://www.flickr.com/group...