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Copyright Issues and Sources for Images

                 Draft October 2020:  Not yet approved

Please do not download this document, since it will be regularly updated and we would like you to ensure that you have access to the latest version.   We do appreciate your comments and suggestions. Email [email protected]

  • If you use photos or graphics for your promotion handouts, or website you must  check the copyright status of the images you use.  
  • Some images will be free of copyright; others will only request attribution, but many will require a license and that will often entail payment. 
  • If someone has a personal or business account with sources that provide images, they probably cannot transfer their ‘rights’ to a DAUK committee.  Please check the T&Cs of the subscription. It might be necessary to obtain a fresh licence for use by DAUK.
  • If we use photos or videos taken by members of DAUK at our events,  we need to ensure that the people attending the event  in the photo have been informed that photos of the event may appear on DAUK website or social media.   If people are named in the photo or video, we should ensure that we have their consent. For more specific guidance please refer to the Compliance Dashboard Guide for the Website 
  • UK ‘fair dealing’ is more restrictive than the US ‘fair use’ , so you must be very attentive. Some, short extracts from texts (academic or think tank publications) might be capable of being deemed suitable for  ‘fair dealing’ (UK)  as long as attribution/citation is provided, and you do not make excessive use of the material. But you need to check this very carefully.  Since we are based in the UK, we must abide by ‘fair dealing’. Specifically, it can only be fair dealing  if used for a specific purpose, such as criticism or discussion of the work itself. If in doubt, do not assume that you can use it.
  • Always ensure that you check that images and text you use meet DAUK Compliance Guidelines and reflect the values of DAUK. 

Guides to Copyright  

This official UK government guide offers an explanation of ‘fair dealing’ 

Images: 

Written works:  text, graphs, charts in publications  (need more sources) 

UK Society of Authors Guide on copyright

“You can quote without needing copyright permission if all of the following apply

 • the work you are quoting from has been previously published; 

• the use is fair dealing; 

• you quote ‘no more than is required by the specific purpose for which it is used’;

 • the use is genuinely for the purpose of quotation; and • you include proper acknowledgement.”

Please note:  if you have a professional subscription that gives you access to publications that have restricted distribution (e.g. as an academic, lawyer or medical professional) you might not be able to make that content (even just quotes) and sources available to the public via the website. This discussion of the US ‘fair use’   ‘Fair Use’ Rule: When Use of Copyrighted Material Is Acceptable’ has some useful discussion about using text extracts.  See their 

 Sources for photos and graphics

Please send us your recommendations. 

Photos: Sources

Be very wary of using Google images since many are from  photographer sources, such as Getty Images, which  they are usually copyrighted and may require a fee. 

Always caption/credit the source whenever possible. 

Sources with good quality photos, including some that are ‘Creative Commons licensed’:

These are organized in various ways:  here is one on Roadside America https://www.flickr.com/photos/library_of_congress/albums/72157686396348231/page1

Democrats Abroad sources: Wiki Page

Provides a range of graphics that can be used by any Democrats Abroad Country Committee

https://wiki.democratsabroad.org/display/Logos/Logos+and+Graphics+Home

Other sources for graphics and photos 

https://blog.snappa.com/free-stock-photos/ –  links to a good range of photo/image sites, not all are copyright/account free  check each image

https://stocksnap.io/ – not all are copyright/account free so need to check each image

https://www.freepik.com/ – free icons etc. but many appear to require an account

https://shutterstock.com  royalty free but you may have to open an account to download and use their photos or graphics and pay a monthly charge.

Specific issues 

Many political infographics are designed to be shared and freely available, but always check their copyright status and whether attribution is required. For example, March for Our Lives has produced free artwork for people to use.  Worth researching for images on your topics. 

Book covers  –  A  book cover or jacket is a creative work and the creator is generally not the author of the book itself. It is art or photography and not part of the book. It is not always clear who holds the copyright and under what circumstances you can display an image of a book. Online advice is variable, but we will update this with more information after receiving additional advice. 

Videos:  We need to get professional advice on these Intellectual Property  issues, since online information is variable.

Extract from Film Committee Permissions Guide – a strict?  interpretation   

Just because a video is on YouTube or other public sites that does not mean that you  can automatically use it. Just as with every other broadcast medium, videos are copyrighted by the creator, and you  will need permission to use the video. Do note that sometimes films or videos are uploaded to YouTube by people who do not hold the copyright and who are not authorized to upload it – so be vigilant!

How to find who holds the copyright: 

YouTube

Under each YouTube video, it will say “uploaded by” – followed by a username that is a clickable link. If you click on the username link, you will go to the person’s YouTube channel. In the person’s profile, you will find more information about them. They may include a term of use for their videos in the profile, but not many people do this.

If there is not a ‘terms of use’ statement, then you will need to contact them. 

If their email address is listed, you can send them an email. If there is no email address listed, you can still use the Send Message link at the top of the profile section to send a message from your official YouTube account to their account (since any @democratsabroad.org.uk is a Google account, each official @democratsabroad.org.uk automatically has a YouTube account).  If they have a website listed, visit the site to see if there are instructions for use of the videos on their site.

Videos on other sites: 

You need to determine who actually holds the copyright  and seek permission from the copyright holder. A site may be making use of a video (with license or permission) on their site but do not hold the copyright.  

These sources were compiled by the DAUK Women’s Caucus, the Policy Network and Film Committees in 2017, and updated and revised August 4  2020 by Elaine C and Eva R. Revised by Elaine C and Asha S on August 26 2020.     

To be updated and approved by DAUK Chair and Legal Counsel

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