Diveatlas:Image policy: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 23:58, 12 December 2023

This is a not for-profit wiki based in the US. These two facts have two implications for image uploads on this wiki:

We have to comply with copyright law
We do not have resources to handle copyright disputes
We have to pay for storage using out-of-pocket funds

Consequently we ask that you be mindful when uploading images that:

1. If possible, upload them to Wikimedia Commons

If the image could be hosted on Wikimedia Commons, please upload it there. You can then use it on Dive Atlas just as you would an image uploaded directly to Dive Atlas. Please read the corresponding policy to determine whether your image is appropriate for Commons. Doing this helps offload hosting costs to Wikimedia Foundation while improving their base of freely-licensed content.

2. They are reasonably sized

Shoot for under 5mb per image, and no more than 10mb - but if the picture demands more, that's fine. Basically, just use common sense and please act as if you are paying hosting costs.

3. They are permissibly licensed

Eventually licensing scaffolding will be set up on this wiki. In the meantime, please note the image license in the description when uploading it.

Importantly, if you do not know the license, please do not upload it no matter how helpful it is. It sucks, but that is copyright law.

However, by all means please link to an image if it is highly informative even if you cannot embed it here. Also, many times copyright holders are willing to grant an exemption for uses like wikis - you can always try contacting them! If you get an exemption, please note that in the description when you upload the image.

4. They add value to an article

Dive Atlas articles are meant to be informative. Images should serve that purpose. So for example, the following would be appropriate:

photos of landmarks used to locate or navigate a dive site
a photo demonstrating notable site conditions
a photo of the entry area
a photo of the facilities

The following should be uploaded somewhere else:

pictures of fish without any features specific to the site
selfies

For example: if a bait ball is in a picture of a wreck, the view of the wreck is informative, so that's OK! But a bait ball in blue water that could have been taken anywhere isn't informative, so shouldn't go here.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-This is a community run not for profit website that complies with US copyright law. We do not have funding to handle copyright disputes and cloud storage is expensive. Those two constraints guide the image policy for this wiki.
+This is a not for-profit wiki based in the US. These two facts have two implications for image uploads on this wiki:
-When uploading an image:
+* We have to comply with copyright law
-* If the image could be hosted on Wikimedia Commons, please upload it there. You can then use it on Dive Atlas just as you would an image uploaded directly to Dive Atlas. Please read the corresponding Commons policy to determine whether your image is appropriate for Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Project_scope#Scope_of_Commons
+* We do not have resources to handle copyright disputes
+* We have to pay for storage using out-of-pocket funds
+Consequently we ask that you be mindful when uploading images that:
+'''1. If possible, upload them to Wikimedia Commons'''
+If the image could be hosted on Wikimedia Commons, please upload it there. You can then use it on Dive Atlas just as you would an image uploaded directly to Dive Atlas. Please read the corresponding [[Commons:Commons:Project scope#Scope of Commons|policy]] to determine whether your image is appropriate for Commons. Doing this helps offload hosting costs to Wikimedia Foundation while improving their base of freely-licensed content.
+'''2. They are reasonably sized'''
+Shoot for under 5mb per image, and no more than 10mb - but if the picture demands more, that's fine. Basically, just use common sense and please act as if you are paying hosting costs.
+'''3. They are permissibly licensed'''
+Eventually licensing scaffolding will be set up on this wiki. In the meantime, please note the image license in the description when uploading it.
+Importantly, if you do not know the license, '''please''' do not upload it no matter how helpful it is. It sucks, but that is copyright law.
+However, by all means please link to an image if it is highly informative even if you cannot embed it here. Also, many times copyright holders are willing to grant an exemption for uses like wikis - you can always try contacting them! If you get an exemption, please note that in the description when you upload the image.
+'''4. They add value to an article'''
+Dive Atlas articles are meant to be informative. Images should serve that purpose. So for example, the following would be appropriate:
+* photos of landmarks used to locate or navigate a dive site
+* a photo demonstrating notable site conditions
+* a photo of the entry area
+* a photo of the facilities
+The following should be uploaded somewhere else:
+* pictures of fish without any features specific to the site
+* selfies
+For example: if a bait ball is in a picture of a wreck, the view of the wreck is informative, so that's OK! But a bait ball in blue water that could have been taken anywhere isn't informative, so shouldn't go here.