Archive:Media Credit Lines within Articles
- Under discussion at http://forum.citizendium.org/index.php/topic,1263.0.html
Giving credit to real-named persons or entities in credit lines beneath images is an appropriate way to honor them as content providers and can serve as a very important incentive for high quality media contributions, usages without fees, and goodwill toward the project (see this photographer's views on the matter, for example). Moreover, in the case of printed articles, it provides at least very basic information about the authorship and licensing of images that appear, and therby helps prevent the creation of orphan works.
To provide this, as well as to provide a standardized and consistent look to all CZ articles and to facilitate ease of enforcement of media policies, all images and other media appearing in Citizendium articles should be credited to the image provider(s) within the image caption within the article, with two occasional exceptions.
Crediting media providers within articles is very easy because simple directions accompany each upload done with the CZ:Upload-Wizard. The below explanations are now significantly automated.
Bear in mind that media by pseudonymous persons should be avoided, barring unusual and rare circumstances.
How to add a credit line
To add credit lines:
1. At the image page, on the image information template, click ☑ ADD CREDIT. See screenshot below.
2. Add by copying and pasting in the code and credited party as in the below. Follow the pattern in the examples. See how it appears in situ to the right.
Creative Commons family of licenses
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The entire Creative Commons family of licenses are credited the same. The exception is the Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication, which should be treated as public domain.
| Paste in: | Displays as: | Notes: |
|---|---|---|
{{creditline|CC|Photo|John Doe}}
|
(CC) Photo: John Doe |
|
{{creditline|CC|Image|Jane Doe}}
|
(CC) Image: Jane Doe |
|
The above should cover probably 99.9% of all Creative Commons media. If an author of a Creative Commons work requests removal of attribution, as the licenses allow them to do, constables only place {{creditline|CC|Image}} (with no name) and lock the credit page.
Public Domain
- Media obtained from museums or other collections-holders should usually be credited to both the original author (unless unknown) and to the museum or other provider of the work, always to at least the provider
- Authors of recent images "released to the public domain" should be assumed to not want credit within articles. Use
{{creditline|PD}}. Such media must still be credited to the author on the image description page, however. - Instances at editor discretion may warrant
{{creditline|PD}}.
| Paste in: | Displays as: | Notes: |
|---|---|---|
{{creditline|PD|Photo|John Doe / Acme Museum}}
|
(PD) Photo: John Doe / Acme Museum |
|
{{creditline|PD|Image|Acme Museum}}
|
(PD) Image: Acme Museum |
|
{{creditline|PD}}
|
PD Image | Use for:
|
{{creditline|PD|Photo courtesy of|Acme Museum}}
|
(PD) Photo courtesy of: Acme Museum | Use if:
|
{{creditline|PD|Image courtesy of|Zenith Library of Philosophy}}
|
(PD) Image courtesy of: Zenith Library of Philosophy | Use if:
|
Attribution
| Paste in: | Displays as: | Notes: |
|---|---|---|
{{creditline|A|Photo|John Doe}}
|
© Photo: Jane Doe |
|
{{creditline|A|Image|Jane Doe}}
|
© Image: Jane Doe |
|
GNU family of licenses
The entire GNU family of licenses are credited the same.
| Paste in: | Displays as: | Notes: |
|---|---|---|
{{creditline|GNU|Photo|John Doe}}
|
(GNU) Photo: Jane Doe |
|
{{creditline|GNU|Image|Jane Doe}}
|
(GNU) Image: Jane Doe |
|
Non-free copyrighted materials
| Paste in: | Displays as: | Notes: |
|---|---|---|
{{creditline|C|Photo|John Doe}}
|
© Photo: John Doe |
|
{{creditline|C|Image|Doe Collection}}
|
© Image: Doe Collection |
|
{{creditline|C|Photo courtesy of|Zenith Photos}}
|
© Photo courtesy of: Zenith Photos | Use if:
|
{{creditline|C|Image courtesy of|Acme Collections}}
|
© Image courtesy of: Acme Collections | Use if:
|
Special cases
The below tags should only be used after discussion with the Media Assets Workgroup. Just make a Help request.
Orphan works
Fair use claims are thought to be bolstered if the work is an orphan work and you document your reasonably diligent efforts at locating the copyright holder.
Orphan works used under a fair use rational are a special case.
| Paste in: | Displays as: | Notes: | Link to template: |
|---|---|---|---|
{{?-photo}}
|
Template:?-photo | First make a Help request with the Media Assets Workgroup. | |
{{?-image}}
|
Template:?-image | First make a Help request with the Media Assets Workgroup. | |
{{?-generic}}
|
Template:?-generic | First make a Help request with the Media Assets Workgroup. |
Guidance on galleries
Mixed galleries
Galleries with images from mixed sources and/or authors should be credited just the same as images within articles. Alternatively, mixed galleries may be broken into sections and handled as with single author galleries, below.
Single author galleries
Galleries of artwork about a named photographer or artist should be credited to only the provider of the images, unless all images are from the same source. In that instance, simply notate the provider atop the page or section. The title of the gallery provides the attribution to the artist. In cases where the artist and provider are the same, no credit lines are required.
Crediting media uploaded by CZ contributors
Citizendium contributors who upload their own photos should be credited within the image caption just the same, unless they specifically opt out of this under terms of the license of their media.
It is not considered self-promotion to credit your own images within articles. Still, keep CZ:Policy on Self-Promotion in mind when using your own photos. Photos should be chosen based upon quality and licensing alone, not upon the name of the photographer.
Alternate design plan?
Also see idea for Alternate design layout for credit lines.