# copyright and wiki **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 7, 2009, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copyright-and-wiki/480253 "2009-01-07T18:22:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2009, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copyright-and-wiki/480253/1 "2009-01-07T18:22:23Z")
I was under the assumption that wikipedia was open source and could be quoted at length without copyright problems? > **[Wikipedia:Text of the GNU Free Documentation LicenseHow to use this License for your documents](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Text_of_the_GNU_Free_Documentation_License)** > > Version 1.3, 3 November 2008 > Copyright (C) 2000, 2001, 2002, 2007, 2008 Free Software Foundation, Inc. \ > Everyone is permitted to copy and distribute verbatim copies of this license document, but changing it is not allowed. > The purpose of this License is to make a manual, textbook, or other functional and useful document "free" in the sense of freedom: to assure everyone the effective freedom to copy and redistribute it, with or without modifying it, either commercially or no... > **[Wikipedia:Copyrights](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Copyrights)** > > Important note: The Wikimedia Foundation does not own copyright on Wikipedia article texts or illustrations. It is therefore pointless to email our contact addresses asking for permission to reproduce articles or images, even if rules at your company, school, or organization mandate that you ask web site operators before copying their content. > The only Wikipedia content you should contact the Wikimedia Foundation about are the trademarked Wikipedia/Wikimedia logos, which are not freely usable ... _The license Wikipedia uses grants free access to our content in the same sense that free software is licensed freely. This principle is known as copyleft. Wikipedia content can be copied, modified, and redistributed so long as the new version grants the same freedoms to others and acknowledges the authors of the Wikipedia article used (a direct link back to the article is generally thought to satisfy the attribution requirement). Wikipedia articles therefore will remain free under the GFDL and can be used by anybody subject to certain restrictions, most of which aim to ensure that freedom._ ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2009, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copyright-and-wiki/480253/2 "2009-01-07T19:56:53Z")
Is there a question here? ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2009, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copyright-and-wiki/480253/3 "2009-01-07T20:02:51Z")
> [@FatBaldGuy](#): > > Is there a question here? I take it to be a statement of an impression. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2009, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copyright-and-wiki/480253/4 "2009-01-07T20:07:27Z")
> [@FatBaldGuy](#): > > Is there a question here? It was inexplicably moved from ATMB. Of course, that might have something to do with the fact that the OP also inexplicably left out a link to a particular thread or post. ---
**Author:** ![mks57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@mks57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mks57)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2009, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copyright-and-wiki/480253/5 "2009-01-07T20:08:35Z")
Open source is not the same thing as public domain. Open licenses usually have restrictions on how you can use the material. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2009, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copyright-and-wiki/480253/6 "2009-01-07T21:12:48Z")
If you must: > **[Gingko Biloba: stop or continue taking it?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=500557)** > > We have been taking gingko biloba for several years now and we’re wondering if we should continue taking it. There was a recent studythat showed it was ineffective in preventing Alzheimer’s. However, we’re not really taking it for Alzheimer’s... However, I was not questioning the Mod decision per se, just future postings. Can we or can we not, quote entire pages from wiki without copyright problems, assuming proper attribution? ---
**Author:** ![kellner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c2a13f/32.png) [@kellner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kellner)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2009, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copyright-and-wiki/480253/7 "2009-01-07T21:46:13Z")
It is doubtful that board regulations allow us to meet the requirements of the FDL. For example, the last clause of the standard copyright notice makes an incompatible claim. Without the FDL on our side we can quote as much or as little of Wikipedia articles as of any other copyrighted content. Sure, it’s unlikely that Wikipedia takes us to court but the same could be said about many more conventional copyright holders. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2009, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copyright-and-wiki/480253/8 "2009-01-07T21:48:59Z")
Wikipedia allows itself to be copied, but you have to remember just because it’s on Wikipedia doesn’t mean it’s not copyrighted by someone else. I write something, it’s mine. Someone copies my work word for word and puts it on Wikipedia It’s not free to copy 'cause it’s mine. As for copying yes you could post it on a board without legal issues. The problem is most likely the mods don’t want to have to read everything at length. Many books are in public domain, such as a Christmas Carol. But if you quote the entire book the mod would most likely cut it short. There are reasons for this, one too long of an article makes for inefficient use of a board. Second it will lead to people thinking they can just quote the whole of an article without realizing most of the time you can’t do this. Therefore it’s easy to “require” that all quotes from place take the same form more of less. [rant]My biggest issue with Google is the huge number of scraper sites that quote Wikipedia in totality. Sometimes 5 of the top ten will be the same Wikipedia source in different articles. So much for Google filtering similar content [/rant] ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2009, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copyright-and-wiki/480253/9 "2009-01-07T21:51:11Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > [rant]My biggest issue with Google is the huge number of scraper sites that quote Wikipedia in totality. Sometimes 5 of the top ten will be the same Wikipedia source in different articles. So much for Google filtering similar content [/rant] I agree 100% with your rant. However, in theory, the wiki article should only include a legit usage quote, which is cited properly. ---
**Author:** ![Cerowyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@Cerowyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerowyn)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2009, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copyright-and-wiki/480253/10 "2009-01-07T22:43:29Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > However, in theory, the wiki article should only include a legit usage quote, which is cited properly. Not all wikis have the same policy. Wikipedia allows copying as you describe, but a few that I also edit do not. ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2009, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copyright-and-wiki/480253/11 "2009-01-07T23:11:17Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Can we or can we not, quote entire pages from wiki without copyright problems, assuming proper attribution? AFAIK, yes. But gotta remember the “proper attribution” catch. I think the OP thought that Wikipedia could be quoted carte blanche, even without any catches at all. ---
**Author:** ![anson2995](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@anson2995](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anson2995)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copyright-and-wiki/480253/12 "2009-01-08T21:43:40Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > If you must: > [Gingko Biloba: stop or continue taking it? - In My Humble Opinion - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=500557) > > However, I was not questioning the Mod decision per se, just future postings. > > Can we or can we not, quote entire pages from wiki without copyright problems, assuming proper attribution? A link would be preferable to re-posting an entire page, no? Others have commented on the copyright issues, but what’s the purpose of copying and pasting an entire page (or huge chunk of text) rather than just linking to it? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copyright-and-wiki/480253/13 "2009-01-08T22:00:46Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Can we or can we not, quote entire pages from wiki without copyright problems, assuming proper attribution? Regardless of copyright issues, it is bad form to quote such large blocks of text under any circumstances. It is much better to quote the most relevant part of the text, and then link to the rest. That way you don’t force the reader to wade through the entire text to get to the part that is of interest. I’ve noticed you doing this in other posts - quoting entire abstracts or other large blocks of texts. I would encourage you not to. Be more selective in what you quote, rather than quoting big chunks of material. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copyright-and-wiki/480253/14 "2009-01-08T22:07:44Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > I write something, it’s mine. > > Someone copies my work word for word and puts it on Wikipedia > > It’s not free to copy 'cause it’s mine. On the bottom of every edit page on Wikipedia, there’s a notice that says “Content that violates any copyright will be deleted. Encyclopedic content must be verifiable. **You irrevocably agree to release your contributions under the terms of the GFDL** \*.” Bolding mine. Doesn’t that imply that you automatically grant permission to redistribute any time you post? Edit: Whoops, I misunderstood. If somebody ELSE takes YOUR work and posts it on Wikipedia without permission… yeah, that’s a different case. I wonder if you’d be able to sue the copier, subsequent users, or both? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copyright-and-wiki/480253/15 "2009-01-08T22:59:53Z")
> [@Reply](#): > > Edit: Whoops, I misunderstood. If somebody ELSE takes YOUR work and posts it on Wikipedia without permission… yeah, that’s a different case. I wonder if you’d be able to sue the copier, subsequent users, or both? That’s just it. While I am no expert on copyright, Wikipedia cannot guarantee that its contributors have not copied their articles from other, copyrighted sources. Therefore, as a precaution, it is better to treat Wikipedia as you would any other source, and not quote any more than is necessary. And, as I said, we would rather you not quote large blocks of text, regardless of copyright status. Better to quote sparingly and link to the source.