Legal Information

Copyright, Privacy, and Publication Permissions

If you didn't create it, then you have to ask the author for their permission to use it. The only exception to this is when something is known to be "public domain" or when the author has explicitly stated that it may be used without asking for permission. In case of joint authorship, you need permission from each author.

Other SCA publications are copyrighted, so you need to ask permission to use material from them. You can get this from the SCA Inc., or the author.

Regardless of whether you have to ask permission to use an item, the item in question is designated as "public domain", or permission has been granted to use the item, you need to credit your sources.

Non-profit status doesn't give you the right to violate copyright law. "Fair use" applies only to the use of a small part of a work, within a larger work, for private research, and does not allow you to republish the portion by posting it on a website. If you have any questions about fair use, there are several good sources that are listed in the bibliography.

Publication on the Web does not imply lack of copyright. Lack of copyright notice does not mean that it is not under copyright. All material published on the Web or elsewhere should be considered to be under protection of the copyright laws.

The SCA, Inc. has a Deputy Society Chronicler for Copyright Information. This person is available to answer any questions pertaining to copyright. You can direct your questions to the SCA Chroniclers list (sca-chroniclers@midrealm.org). Both the Copyright Chronicler and the Society Chronicler participate on this list. If you feel that you should speak with them privately, the SCA Chronicler is available at chronicler@sca.org and the Copyright Deputy is currently available at hablutzel@compuserve.com.
If you have any doubts, don't publish it - it's safer.
US, Canadian, and other copyright laws and international treaties apply fully to not-for-profit organizations' publications and websites. You can find guidelines on copyright in any style manual, and in some of the sources listed in the bibliography.

Documentation of Permissions

A "Permission for Online Publication" form appears in Appendix C of this manual. Webministers need to keep a copy of this permission form as well as a hard copy of the page as posted on the Internet in their files. While you can accept an e-mailed copy of the form, or any e-mail message that contains substantially the same information, you need to get a hardcopy of the permission form or e-mail, signed by the person(s) giving the permission, for your files. This is because if the matter ever goes to court, they are more likely to accept the original signature.

If there are multiple contributors for a submission, you must have a permission form from each contributor.

If something is used from another page on the web, credit the source of the image or text. This would include a URL and optionally a link to the page. This applies to any resources found on other sites, including, but not limited to: map generators, texts, images - whether they are public domain or copyrighted, and whether use is free wwith permission or on a free basis.

Privacy Issues

Publishing personal information online

Posting personal information beyond SCA name, awards received, and offices held, requires a permission form (Appendix B), evne if that information is published in the group's newsletter. This permission may be handled in several different ways. The simplest way is to circulate a paper with all the data that will be published with the phrase "I give permission to publish this information on the [group name] website." with a space for a signature and date. Another method is for you to receive e-mail with all the information and the statement "I give permission to publish this information on the [group name] website," then print if off to be signed and dated by the person sending the information.

Permission to publish photographs

The standard rule in journalism is that journalists gain access to private sites at the discretion of the person controlling the site. In SCA terms this would be the site owner, the seneschal, and the autocrat. The person controlling the site may set rules for access which may limit what may be photographed.

If the site is a public place, you do not need the permission of the site owner or anyone else to take pictures. As an invited participant you also do not permission to take pictures at a private event, although you should respect the wishes of others and use some common sense (for example, no flash photography around the listfield). However, before you publish any pictures, you may need to get the permission of anyone who can be identified in the picture before using their likeness on a web page or in another publication.

While permission is not strictly necessary from individuals engaged in an activity, it's a good idea to ask whenever practical (for example, a battle at Pennsic would not be practical). If you wish to take pictures of individuals, it is appropriate (and recommended) to ask and receive permission first.

In general, if in writing a caption for a photo, and you could identify the individual specifically, you need written permission from the subject before you use the picture, whether in a newsletter or on a website.

This is a very sensitive issue to many people, so when considering whether or not to post a picture on a website, ask yourself, "Is the photo tasteful, and complementary to the subject and the SCA?"

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