Public Domain Image used as Artwork - Allowed?

[Mona Lisa]

Is it allowed to upload a non-copyrighted public domain image as an artwork to embed in a profile?

[Satoru]

I mean its public domain so yeah its fine

[Overseer]

Typically nobody cares until something is reported or somebody makes a claim. If its public domain you should be fine... until somebody comes who claims it anyways because this is the internet and we know how terrible things can be.

[Aachen]

That’s what public domain means.

[Walach]

Yes. But remember that if you didn't take the photo (or bought the rights to it, etc), then using that photo isn't you using something in the public domain. Well, depends on the country, but that always apply. :P

[Aachen]

Walach の投稿を引用：

Yes. But remember that if you didn't take the photo (or bought the rights to it, etc), then using that photo isn't you using something in the public domain. Well, depends on the country, but that always apply. :P

To whom would you give money for public-domain IP?

[crunchyfrog]

Make sure it IS public domain first. It's all very well to take someone's word for it, but stick to sites that are renowned for being good at hosting such things. If you've done that all is good.

As long as you remember one thing - DO NOT use that image to distribute or make money yourself.

Anything else is fine.

[SLG]

If you use Google to search for images, there is an option to filter the search by free to use.

[Azure Fang]

SLGray の投稿を引用：

If you use Google to search for images, there is an option to filter the search by free to use.

Free to use and public domain are not the same thing. "Free to use" is a catch-all term for anything with a relaxed license; CC-BY is free to use and can be used in commercial projects, while CC-BY-NC is free to use but not in commercial, and CC-BY-SA is free to use, but any modified version of the asset must also include a CC-BY-SA license.

Public Domain is any work whose copyright has expired in a given jurisdiction, may not be copyrighted (such as cooking recipes in the US), or where the creator of the work has explicitly waived their copyright; Public Domain works may be reproduced and reworked at will, even in commercial endeavors. Such is the case of the numerous reprints of works by Lewis Carroll, Edgar Allen Poe, etc.

ALWAYS check the license, even when using a "free to use" search or "royalty-free" archive. ALWAYS.

[crunchyfrog]

Azure Fang の投稿を引用：

SLGray の投稿を引用：

If you use Google to search for images, there is an option to filter the search by free to use.

Free to use and public domain are not the same thing. "Free to use" is a catch-all term for anything with a relaxed license; CC-BY is free to use and can be used in commercial projects, while CC-BY-NC is free to use but not in commercial, and CC-BY-SA is free to use, but any modified version of the asset must also include a CC-BY-SA license.

Public Domain is any work whose copyright has expired in a given jurisdiction, may not be copyrighted (such as cooking recipes in the US), or where the creator of the work has explicitly waived their copyright; Public Domain works may be reproduced and reworked at will, even in commercial endeavors. Such is the case of the numerous reprints of works by Lewis Carroll, Edgar Allen Poe, etc.

ALWAYS check the license, even when using a "free to use" search or "royalty-free" archive. ALWAYS.

This - so very very much.

It is a minefield to get yourself into and you can't put the genie back into the bottle. Everyone should remember that!

ALWAYS check beforehand as there's o many different variances on what you're allowed to use and under what conditions.

And as always, if you're unsure - ASK HERE!

[Azure Fang]

crunchyfrog の投稿を引用：

Azure Fang の投稿を引用：

Free to use and public domain are not the same thing. "Free to use" is a catch-all term for anything with a relaxed license; CC-BY is free to use and can be used in commercial projects, while CC-BY-NC is free to use but not in commercial, and CC-BY-SA is free to use, but any modified version of the asset must also include a CC-BY-SA license.

Public Domain is any work whose copyright has expired in a given jurisdiction, may not be copyrighted (such as cooking recipes in the US), or where the creator of the work has explicitly waived their copyright; Public Domain works may be reproduced and reworked at will, even in commercial endeavors. Such is the case of the numerous reprints of works by Lewis Carroll, Edgar Allen Poe, etc.

ALWAYS check the license, even when using a "free to use" search or "royalty-free" archive. ALWAYS.

This - so very very much.

It is a minefield to get yourself into and you can't put the genie back into the bottle. Everyone should remember that!

ALWAYS check beforehand as there's o many different variances on what you're allowed to use and under what conditions.

And as always, if you're unsure - ASK HERE!

I've been helping a friend navigate said minefield recently as he's developing his first game (not gonna advertise here, but he has a demo up on Steam, GO HIM!), and I've has mods I've published DMCA'd over "free to use" assets that hide their actual licenses, so I have first-hand experience how much "free to use" gets waved around as a lawsuit trap.

One thing I forgot to mention in the previous post and I'll mention here: ALWAYS check for "secondary licensing". For example, there are a number of "sound libraries" that purport to distribute "royalty-free" sounds for use in projects... but then you check the fine-print license page on the site and you only get "royalty-free" access if you pay monthly. ALWAYS check every square inch of a site for licenses, sublicenses, clauses, and agreements; "free to use" distribution is FULL of predatory bad actors.

[Crashed]

Dante Alighieri の投稿を引用：

Is it allowed to upload a non-copyrighted public domain image as an artwork to embed in a profile?

Public domain like this? https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Speed_Limit_0_sign.svg (look for the crossed out copyright symbol in the page)

In this case the author specifically waived copyright and I have safely used the image for years.

[Malfunctioning Robot]

Even if something is public domain, doesn't the artwork upload require you to declare it is yours? If you didn't make it, its technically against the rules, while its unlikely they are going to go after you for it

[Crashed]

Malfunctioning Robot の投稿を引用：

Even if something is public domain, doesn't the artwork upload require you to declare it is yours? If you didn't make it, its technically against the rules, while its unlikely they are going to go after you for it

The avatar upload page has no such requirement.

[peppermint hollows]

Regardless of the actual rules, I honestly rarely see any enforcement anyway. Steam doesn't seem to ever take action against artwork that isn't actually owned by the person who uploaded it. Unless the owner of the artwork were to file a DMCA claim I don't think Valve ever actually does anything. There are tons of profiles uploading various artists works' and on my own profile I use gifs/clips pulled from various animes uploaded as artwork and have been for years. But I also see profiles with tons of artwork from individual/independent digital artists who post their work online on places like Twitter and ArtStation uploaded and some of them even claiming it is their "own" art, and again have never seen any action taken against those profiles.

[Azure Fang]

peppermint hollows の投稿を引用：

Regardless of the actual rules, I honestly rarely see any enforcement anyway. Steam doesn't seem to ever take action against artwork that isn't actually owned by the person who uploaded it. Unless the owner of the artwork were to file a DMCA claim I don't think Valve ever actually does anything. There are tons of profiles uploading various artists works' and on my own profile I use gifs/clips pulled from various animes uploaded as artwork and have been for years. But I also see profiles with tons of artwork from individual/independent digital artists who post their work online on places like Twitter and ArtStation uploaded and some of them even claiming it is their "own" art, and again have never seen any action taken against those profiles.

Valve literally reported Dolphin to Nintendo last month. Valve DOES act, when they have cause or reports.