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#1 2013-03-28 12:20:23

DragonsAreAwesome12
Scratcher
Registered: 2013-03-03
Posts: 18

I have a new Community Guidlines idea!

I know another rule which can be added to the CGs. (Community Guidlines)

If you use pictures from the internet, don't say they're yours, because if you say they're yours when they aren't, other's will either visibly see they aren't (Artist's signatures, work that is KNOWN to belong to someone else besides you, or the artist's name) or they'll know because they'll probably look on the internet for the picture, and they'll see it doesn't belong to you, so please don't lie about it. Just say they aren't yours, or leave a link to where you found it. (I would go for the first option!)

If it is your's, we'll be able to tell it is because...well, people just...do! I don't know! DX

Thank-you for looking at this and comment below if you agree on this idea, or say one of yours. Maybe contact a member of the Scratch Team to see this?


Thanks.  smile

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#2 2013-03-28 18:50:27

Paddle2See
Scratch Team
Registered: 2007-10-27
Posts: 1000+

Re: I have a new Community Guidlines idea!

You make an interesting point, about using any material that was not created by you.  We have this line in the Community Guidelines:

Give credit. Feel free to make modified versions of other people's projects - just make sure to give them credit. One place to give credit is in your Project Notes.

But that really only addresses reusing material found on Scratch (the implied assumption is that the project owner created the material - not necessarily true).  We don't really address the issue of using material created by others on other sites in your projects.  That's because it's a really complex issue - and we are trying to keep our guidelines short and sweet. 

Whenever you use somebody else's work, be it a picture, a song, or printed material, you should think about whether you have a right to do what you are doing.  Sometimes the material has a copyright that allows others to copy (like Scratch does). Other times you might ask the author for permission to use their work.  Beyond that, you should think carefully about whether you should use it at all. 

You may be able to use a copyrighted work that doesn't allow free copying if you can justify it as an educational use under the "Fair Use" doctrine.  But it's a tricky area and you might want to avoid it.  We aren't lawyers and can't advise you on your specific rights for any given piece of material.  Your safest avenue is to use only your own work or work that is explicitly open for public use.

Beyond the issue of whether you have a right to use other people's material, it is NEVER okay to claim that you created material that you did not.  That's plagiarism and it is a serious offense, in most organizations.

Kind of complicated, yes?  And that's why it's not in the Community Guidelines.


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#3 2013-03-30 12:30:54

joshuaho
Scratcher
Registered: 2012-08-20
Posts: 100+

Re: I have a new Community Guidlines idea!

DragonsAreAwesome12 wrote:

I know another rule which can be added to the CGs. (Community Guidlines)

If you use pictures from the internet, don't say they're yours, because if you say they're yours when they aren't, other's will either visibly see they aren't (Artist's signatures, work that is KNOWN to belong to someone else besides you, or the artist's name) or they'll know because they'll probably look on the internet for the picture, and they'll see it doesn't belong to you, so please don't lie about it. Just say they aren't yours, or leave a link to where you found it. (I would go for the first option!)

If it is your's, we'll be able to tell it is because...well, people just...do! I don't know! DX

Thank-you for looking at this and comment below if you agree on this idea, or say one of yours. Maybe contact a member of the Scratch Team to see this?


Thanks.  smile

Nice suggestion!


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