# Questions regarding TOS and collecting posts **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [October 24, 2011, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-regarding-tos-and-collecting-posts/600678 "2011-10-24T20:53:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swords_to_Plowshares)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-regarding-tos-and-collecting-posts/600678/1 "2011-10-24T20:53:13Z")
I am doing a machine learning project that requires a large amount of text documents written by people over the internet. One of my first thoughts was to use sdmb posts. However, I read the TOS and it says: > [@](#): > > Except for content you have posted on [straightdope.com](http://straightdope.com), or unless expressly permitted, you may not copy, reproduce, distribute, publish, enter into a database, display, perform, modify, create derivative works, transmit, or in any way exploit any part of [straightdope.com](http://straightdope.com), except that you may download material for your own personal use as follows: you may make one machine readable copy and/or one print copy that is limited to occasional articles of personal interest only. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, you may not distribute any part of [straightdope.com](http://straightdope.com) over any network, including a local area network, nor sell or offer it for sale. In addition, these files may not be used to construct any kind of database. So clearly I cannot mine posts willy-nilly. Would I be allowed to use posts if the user explicitly permitted me to? I suspect the answer is no, since the TOS and disclaimer imply that Creative Loafing own the content, not the user. And if the answer is no, then I fully understand and I won’t undergo anything of this nature on these boards. ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-regarding-tos-and-collecting-posts/600678/2 "2011-10-24T21:17:52Z")
Asking each individual separately seems like a lot of work. Why don’t you do a search for either public domain or (if it must be written specifically for the web) blogs that use a Creative Commons license instead? [Here’s a good tutorial on finding Creative Commons works on Google](http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/find-creative-commons-content-google/). Or you can also look at [this text site list from CreativeCommons.org](http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Text#Featured_Text_sites). Just a thought. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swords_to_Plowshares)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-regarding-tos-and-collecting-posts/600678/3 "2011-10-24T22:51:57Z")
I will probably end up having to do something like that. ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-regarding-tos-and-collecting-posts/600678/4 "2011-10-24T23:12:49Z")
You’re welcome. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-regarding-tos-and-collecting-posts/600678/5 "2011-10-24T23:17:14Z")
> [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](#): > > I suspect the answer is no, since the TOS and disclaimer imply that Creative Loafing own the content, not the user. No, my posts are my posts and I can do anything with them that I wish. By posting them here, I give the board a NONexclusive and irrevocable right to use my posts as well. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-regarding-tos-and-collecting-posts/600678/6 "2011-10-25T00:23:57Z")
You could also apply to TBTB for a grant, probably via PM. The grant would be in-kind. Seriously, we’re here to fight ignorance and if you have a research proposal, you may be able to get permission. ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-regarding-tos-and-collecting-posts/600678/7 "2011-10-25T17:44:53Z")
> [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](#): > > So clearly I cannot mine posts willy-nilly. Would I be allowed to use posts if the user explicitly permitted me to? I suspect the answer is no, since the TOS and disclaimer imply that Creative Loafing own the content, not the user. And if the answer is no, then I fully understand and I won’t undergo anything of this nature on these boards. See the bottom of the web page. > [@](#): > > No material contained in this site may be republished or reposted without express written consent of the Creative Loafing Media, Inc.,\*\* except that message board users retain the right to republish or repost their own work\*\*. (emphasis added) If the user has the right to republish/repost, I have difficulty seeing why he could not let you do the republishing on his behalf. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2011, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-regarding-tos-and-collecting-posts/600678/8 "2011-10-27T14:23:34Z")
You have full and complete permission to use and/or republish my posts for any purpose not otherwise prohibited by law. 38,000 should be enough to be getting on with, right? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2011, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-regarding-tos-and-collecting-posts/600678/9 "2011-10-27T18:21:35Z")
**Questions regarding TOS and collecting posts** I think Kirk was the best moderator; Janeway the worst. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2011, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-regarding-tos-and-collecting-posts/600678/10 "2011-10-27T18:23:39Z")
Janeway wasn’t on TOS. Clearly Bones wasn’t a very good moderator. He was all emotion pegged at 11. Spock was very moderator. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2011, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-regarding-tos-and-collecting-posts/600678/11 "2011-10-27T21:39:02Z")
**Swords to Plowshares** , you hereby have my permission to use any of my SDMB posts, except those in which I sound stupid… which may severely limit your choices.