Wikinews:Reusing Wikinews content

Reusing our content: You CAN copy!

Wikinews is a project of the Wikimedia Foundation; anyone may contribute to a Wikimedia project, but contributors must release their work under what the Foundation accepts as a suitably liberal license. This must be a license that permits others (you) to use the content for both commercial and non-commercial purposes.

There are, however, exceptions. And, there are issues you must consider. The key points are:

  1. You MUST attribute material you copy to Wikinews
    (Please avoid the common mistake of using "WikiNews")
  2. You MUST clearly indicate the license applicable to copied Wikinews content
    — (Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 license or © CC-BY-2.5)
  3. You MUST a.) link to the license OR, b.) link to the article;
    At a minimum—such as when reproducing in print—please link to the Wikinews main page (© Wikinews—http://en.wikinews.org/).
  4. You should link to the Wikinews article you copied from

Some exceptions and issues you should consider are:

  1. Wikinews makes every effort to ensure content is not a copyright violation of other's work
  2. To take full advantage of efforts mentioned in point i, you should only copy content which has been peer-reviewed and published by a recognised editor
  3. Wikinews frequently relies on Wikimedia Commons for media content such as images and audio
  4. Wikinews may make use of media content in a fair use context, storing it locally
  5. You MUST check all media copied per points iii and iv
    (This is usually carried out by clicking on the image in question and reading the terms it is used, or available, under.)
  6. You MUST follow the licensing terms for all media content used on Wikinews under point iii
  7. You MUST assess your own right to claim fair use on any content stored on Wikinews under point iv
  8. Older Wikinews content is released into the public domain; this is clearly indicated where such is the case. You MUST follow points iii, iv, v, vi, and vii, and should consider points i, ii and the appropriateness of attributing copied public domain content
  9. The Wikinews logo is copyrighted, and trade-mark registered to the Wikimedia Foundation. You MUST NOT copy it without explicit permission from a legally authorised representative of the Wikimedia Foundation. Or, by specifying a clear fair-use rationale for each usage you make of such images

The Wikinews page on social networking details common sites where you may subscribe to published Wikinews material, and how to quickly use it yourself on such sites. If you have questions, consider posting your question here or by emailing us.


Disclaimer:

  • Wikinews contributors are not lawyers; where they are lawyers, they are not your lawyers; they cannot provide authoritative legal advice.
  • If you have serious concerns about the legality, and potential liability, involved in copying Wikinews content, consult a lawyer.
  • Wikinews believes the above is accurate, valid, and fully applicable, under United States copyright laws.
  • This page is written as a 'tribute' to the April Fool's Day RfCs. With should, and must, attributed the same definitions as in the Jon Postel-authored RfCs which underpin the modern Internet.