Jan, A person can have their own domain, or they can post their webpages on a website hosted by another person or company. If the posting person violates the written agreement with the host, complaints can be made to the host. http://www.blogspirit.com/en/index.php Contact and Terms of Service are two links at the bottom of the page. The host can remove your copied webpage(s) or force the offender to remove them. The person has already removed the Pendle Witches webpage. If there are others not yet removed, contact the host. Cliff Lamere ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Rossbret wrote: >Hello All, >I set up and run the UK Institutions website, and have put in alot of hard work in updating and improving the information available. >I have a copyright disclaimer on each page of the site: >www.institutions.org.uk > >A certain website has copied copious amounts of information from my site and pasted it on to their web blog as if their own: >http://lancasterthecity.blogspirit.com/archive/2005/week46/index.html > >I have written a comment on their form stating that what they have done is plagiarism and violates copyright ..... but the answer is that "it was a bit of fun" > >Is there anything I can do about this please? > >With thanks, Jan > > > >

I wrote the obit for my step mother and I therefore consider myself as the copyright holder. I consider the newspaper as the publisher. Donna (a different Donna) -----Original Message----- From: Mike Goad [mailto:mike@pddoc.com] Sent: Friday, January 06, 2006 11:41 PM To: COPYRIGHT-L@rootsweb.com Subject: RE: [COPYRIGHT] COPYRIGHT of VITAL RECORDS TRANSCRIPTIONS? In most cases, very little that is in an obituary will be copyrightable. There are two reasons for this. First and foremost, obits are, for the most part, and assemblage of facts or factual information, clearly not protected by copyright because there is no original expression involved. Secondly, many, if not most, obituaries are written using some sort of boiler-plate or system. Compare the obits in a newspaper over a period of time and it's likely that you'll see this. If a boiler-plate or other system is used for an obit, then that obit is not copyrightable, because, again, there is no original expression. Besides whether or not copyright applies to the obit, there's another aspect that applies to your question. If there is anything copyrightable about the obit, whoever wrote the obit is the owner of the copyright. It may be the newspaper, but it may also be someone in the family or the funeral home. Mike Goad Copy Right, Copy Sense http://www.pddoc.com/copyright/index.html Chronicles of the American Civil War http://www.pddoc.com/cw-chronicles/ -----Original Message----- From: Donna [mailto:dkcooper6@comcast.net] Sent: Friday, January 06, 2006 8:05 AM To: COPYRIGHT-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [COPYRIGHT] COPYRIGHT of VITAL RECORDS TRANSCRIPTIONS? Does a newspaper "own" rights to an obit printed in the last 20 to 30 years? I think I've come across discussion before but not a definite answer. Thanks, Donna

In most cases, very little that is in an obituary will be copyrightable. There are two reasons for this. First and foremost, obits are, for the most part, and assemblage of facts or factual information, clearly not protected by copyright because there is no original expression involved. Secondly, many, if not most, obituaries are written using some sort of boiler-plate or system. Compare the obits in a newspaper over a period of time and it's likely that you'll see this. If a boiler-plate or other system is used for an obit, then that obit is not copyrightable, because, again, there is no original expression. Besides whether or not copyright applies to the obit, there's another aspect that applies to your question. If there is anything copyrightable about the obit, whoever wrote the obit is the owner of the copyright. It may be the newspaper, but it may also be someone in the family or the funeral home. Mike Goad Copy Right, Copy Sense http://www.pddoc.com/copyright/index.html Chronicles of the American Civil War http://www.pddoc.com/cw-chronicles/ -----Original Message----- From: Donna [mailto:dkcooper6@comcast.net] Sent: Friday, January 06, 2006 8:05 AM To: COPYRIGHT-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [COPYRIGHT] COPYRIGHT of VITAL RECORDS TRANSCRIPTIONS? Does a newspaper "own" rights to an obit printed in the last 20 to 30 years? I think I've come across discussion before but not a definite answer. Thanks, Donna ==== COPYRIGHT Mailing List ==== RootsWeb's mailing lists are filtered and attachments are removed. A virus that is distributed as an attachment will not reach you through a RootsWeb mailing list. For further information about Viruses, Trojans, Worms etc., go please to: http://helpdesk.rootsweb.com/virus.html. Think to keep your Anti-Virus up-to-date! ============================== Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx

On Friday, January 6, 2006 9:28 AM MST, JYoung6180@aol.com wrote: > I think the reason you didn't receive a definitive answer to this question > when it was asked before is that there is no one-size-fits-all answer to the > question. The newspaper doesn't own the facts in obit but may well lay > copyright to the format and original content found in the obit. Lengthy obits with > a byline would more likely be copyrighted than those that are based on a > template and merely list facts. Also many obits without bylines are written by family members, who may therefore technically own the copyright though the newspaper has authorization to use it. Scott

In a message dated 1/6/2006 9:05:52 AM Eastern Standard Time, dkcooper6@comcast.net writes: Does a newspaper "own" rights to an obit printed in the last 20 to 30 years? I think I've come across discussion before but not a definite answer. Thanks, Donna Donna- I think the reason you didn't receive a definitive answer to this question when it was asked before is that there is no one-size-fits-all answer to the question. The newspaper doesn't own the facts in obit but may well lay copyright to the format and original content found in the obit. Lengthy obits with a byline would more likely be copyrighted than those that are based on a template and merely list facts. The best way to be sure is to ask the newspaper for their policy on obits before copying them verbatim or merely abstract the facts in quoting the obit. Joan

Does a newspaper "own" rights to an obit printed in the last 20 to 30 years? I think I've come across discussion before but not a definite answer. Thanks, Donna

At 05:21:45 PST 1/5/2006 -0700, E Darlington wrote: >Subject: Re: [COPYRIGHT] COPYRIGHT of VITAL RECORDS TRANSCRIPTIONS? >Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 >Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit > >Hiya, im new here but on this message, i was wondering, does it mean if someone has written a genealogical book of family history and all of the ancestors in it are dated then this cannot be copyrighted, but if someone were to write a story and include the same data, just add stories to go along with the ancestors, then this could be copyrighted? > Right. It'll be a better book with the stories and stuff, too. But you still cannot stop someone from extracting the "facts" from your copyrighted book and using/publishing them in any manner. Glenn

In a message dated 1/5/2006 8:22:25 PM Eastern Standard Time, emily_warrior_princess@yahoo.com writes: if someone were to write a story and include the same data, just add stories to go along with the ancestors, then this could be copyrighted? Emily- The facts still would not be copyrightable--only the original content. Think of it this way...facts are not created by you -- they are discovered perhaps, but not created. In order to copyright something you have to be the one who created it--it must meet the test of originality. Joan

At 07:20 PM 1/5/2006, carolyn wrote: >Whoops.......yes, no copyright mention. My mistake. However, the notice >does seem to strongly imply ownership and control of the transcribed >data/facts. > >Can this data actually be "owned" or controlled without copyrights? Facts can not be copyrighted ... period A compilation of facts may be copyrighted if the selection, coordination, or arrangement of the facts is original to the author, but the copyright extends only to the selection, coordination, or arrangement, not the facts themselves. A factual compilation selected or arranged in a mechanical way i.e. alphabetical, chronological, etc., can only be protected through contract. Pat

In a message dated 1/5/2006 7:23:17 PM Eastern Standard Time, sweetwater@sierratel.com writes: Can this data actually be "owned" or controlled without copyrights? Not legally, no. Of course, if you copied any original content or copied an entire large database that had some unique formatting -- then you might be violating copyright. Joan

Facts can't be copyrighted ... even if they are included in stories. Doesn't really have anything to do with whether or not ancestors are dead (is that what you meant by "dated"?) or not. Only original and creative material can be copyrighted. Entire books can be copyright protected as a whole but that doesn't change the status of the underlying facts. Excellent website that explains copyright in general and specifically talks about copyright & genealogy. http://www.pddoc.com/copyright/genealogy_copyright_fundamentals.htm Kathi Jones-Hudson MD Tombstone Transcription Project Manager http://www.rootsweb.com/~cemetery/maryland/maryland.html __________________________________________ Yahoo! DSL – Something to write home about. Just $16.99/mo. or less. dsl.yahoo.com

Hiya, im new here but on this message, i was wondering, does it mean if someone has written a genealogical book of family history and all of the ancestors in it are dated then this cannot be copyrighted, but if someone were to write a story and include the same data, just add stories to go along with the ancestors, then this could be copyrighted? Emily Pat Asher <pasher@ee.net> wrote: At 07:20 PM 1/5/2006, carolyn wrote: >Whoops.......yes, no copyright mention. My mistake. However, the notice >does seem to strongly imply ownership and control of the transcribed >data/facts. > >Can this data actually be "owned" or controlled without copyrights? Facts can not be copyrighted ... period A compilation of facts may be copyrighted if the selection, coordination, or arrangement of the facts is original to the author, but the copyright extends only to the selection, coordination, or arrangement, not the facts themselves. A factual compilation selected or arranged in a mechanical way i.e. alphabetical, chronological, etc., can only be protected through contract. Pat ==== COPYRIGHT Mailing List ==== RootsWeb's mailing lists are filtered and attachments are removed. A virus that is distributed as an attachment will not reach you through a RootsWeb mailing list. For further information about Viruses, Trojans, Worms etc., go please to: http://helpdesk.rootsweb.com/virus.html. Think to keep your Anti-Virus up-to-date! ============================== Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx --------------------------------- Yahoo! Photos Ring in the New Year with Photo Calendars. Add photos, events, holidays, whatever.

In a message dated 1/5/2006 4:21:59 PM Eastern Standard Time, sweetwater@sierratel.com writes: Transcriptions of Vital Certificates are being transcribed and posted to the net--along with each vital certificate transcription is a copyright notice----------- Since these are nothing but straight facts, and from a public document, how would a copyright apply? -- Anyone can post a copyright notice (including USGenWeb) but that doesn't mean they can create a copyright for something that can't be copyrighted in the first place--facts can't be copyrighted. Joan

Whoops.......yes, no copyright mention. My mistake. However, the notice does seem to strongly imply ownership and control of the transcribed data/facts. Can this data actually be "owned" or controlled without copyrights? Thanks, Carolyn the notice reads: USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ----------------------------------- Kathi Jones-Hudson wrote: >Carolyn: > >Not really a copyright notice, look again and you'll >see no mention of copyright. It's the USGenWeb notice >... and it's not meant to imply copyright on the data >itself but to attempt to prevent people from lifting >entire transcriptions of data and placing them >elsewhere, especially on pay-to-view sites. > >Everything that goes into the USGenWeb archives has a >similar notice. > >Kathi Jones-Hudson >MD Tombstone Transcription Project Manager >http://www.rootsweb.com/~cemetery/maryland/maryland.html > > > >__________________________________________ >Yahoo! DSL – Something to write home about. >Just $16.99/mo. or less. >dsl.yahoo.com > > >==== COPYRIGHT Mailing List ==== >RootsWeb's mailing lists are filtered and attachments are removed. A virus that is distributed as an attachment will not reach you through a RootsWeb mailing list. For further information about Viruses, Trojans, Worms etc., go please to: http://helpdesk.rootsweb.com/virus.html. Think to keep your Anti-Virus up-to-date! > >============================== >View and search Historical Newspapers. Read about your ancestors, find >marriage announcements and more. Learn more: >http://www.ancestry.com/s13969/rd.ashx > > > >

Emily, On this mailing list we try to answer questions about copyright. To get some rather specific information on the subject, take a look at Mike Goad's copyright website. http://www.pddoc.com/copyright/map.htm Cliff E Darlington wrote: >Hello! I have recently subscribed to your list. Could you please tell me more about it? > > I help my mother with her genealogy. She has been working on my fathers and her families histories for near on 30 years. I would love to be able to help them to put together a book of their own, though writing children's books is what i do mainly. > > Thanks in advance, > Emily Darlington > Creator of the Molly Series > and second generation genealogist > > >

neither of them contains the copyright notice. Just a warning notice not to use them for profit purposes or for presentation without permission from the submitter. It's a standard notice. David carolyn wrote: > Transcriptions of Vital Certificates are being transcribed and posted > to the net--along with each vital certificate transcription is a > copyright notice----------- > Since these are nothing but straight facts, and from a public document, > how would a copyright apply? > > example > http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/ca/yuba/vitals/deaths/sisco.txt > > I have the same question regarding transcribed birth certificates: > http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/ca/yuba/vitals/births/kuroda-m.txt > > and marriage certificates: > http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/ca/yuba/vitals/marriages/gaskill-austin.txt > > > > Thanks > Carolyn > > > > ==== COPYRIGHT Mailing List ==== > LATIN-WORDS-L is a mailing list for anyone with a genealogical or > historical interest in deciphering and interpreting written documents in > Latin from earliest to most recent 20th Century times, and discussing > old Latin words, phrases, names, abbreviations and antique jargon. To > subscribe, send subscribe to mailto:LATIN-WORDS-L-request@rootsweb.com > (Mail Mode) or mailto:LATIN-WORDS-D-request@rootsweb.com (Digest Mode) > > ============================== > New! Family Tree Maker 2005. Build your tree and search for your > ancestors at the same time. Share your tree with family and friends. > Learn more: > http://landing.ancestry.com/familytreemaker/2005/tour.aspx?sourceid=14599&targetid=5429 > > > >

Carolyn: Not really a copyright notice, look again and you'll see no mention of copyright. It's the USGenWeb notice ... and it's not meant to imply copyright on the data itself but to attempt to prevent people from lifting entire transcriptions of data and placing them elsewhere, especially on pay-to-view sites. Everything that goes into the USGenWeb archives has a similar notice. Kathi Jones-Hudson MD Tombstone Transcription Project Manager http://www.rootsweb.com/~cemetery/maryland/maryland.html __________________________________________ Yahoo! DSL – Something to write home about. Just $16.99/mo. or less. dsl.yahoo.com

Transcriptions of Vital Certificates are being transcribed and posted to the net--along with each vital certificate transcription is a copyright notice----------- Since these are nothing but straight facts, and from a public document, how would a copyright apply? example http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/ca/yuba/vitals/deaths/sisco.txt I have the same question regarding transcribed birth certificates: http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/ca/yuba/vitals/births/kuroda-m.txt and marriage certificates: http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/ca/yuba/vitals/marriages/gaskill-austin.txt Thanks Carolyn

Hello Wilson, In addition to this list i have subscribed to the GENAUTHOR list. We also have subscribed to all of the surnames that mom has found thus far. If she isnt the list mom for them shes deffinitely a part of them *lol* she has so many that she takes care of that i couldnt list them all. Thank you for writing to me though, it is much appreciated. Since I also write childrens books and this was a list named COPYRIGHT i thought that it would give information on the copyrighting of books. I have not been published publicly as of yet but be it in a genealogical type of book or childrens book, one day i shall and i am looking into all possible places for help. What exactly is this list about and for? Best wishes for a wonderful day! Emily Darlington Creator of the Molly Series and second generation genealogist WilsonD212@aol.com wrote: In a message dated 1/5/2006 8:00:15 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, emily_warrior_princess@yahoo.com writes: Hello! I have recently subscribed to your list. Could you please tell me more about it? I help my mother with her genealogy. She has been working on my fathers and her families histories for near on 30 years. I would love to be able to help them to put together a book of their own, though writing children's books is what I do mainly. Thanks in advance, Emily Darlington Creator of the Molly Series and second generation genealogist This may not be the best list for your purpose. There is a RootsWeb list for authors: GENAUTHOR-L. You'll find it on the RW mailing lists page under Other/Miscellaneous. In addition, you'll probably find a lot of help by subscribing to the surname and county lists for your parents and grandparents, at least. Wilson ==== COPYRIGHT Mailing List ==== RootsWeb's mailing lists are filtered and attachments are removed. A virus that is distributed as an attachment will not reach you through a RootsWeb mailing list. For further information about Viruses, Trojans, Worms etc., go please to: http://helpdesk.rootsweb.com/virus.html. Think to keep your Anti-Virus up-to-date! ============================== View and search Historical Newspapers. Read about your ancestors, find marriage announcements and more. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13969/rd.ashx --------------------------------- Yahoo! DSL Something to write home about. Just $16.99/mo. or less

In a message dated 1/5/2006 8:00:15 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, emily_warrior_princess@yahoo.com writes: Hello! I have recently subscribed to your list. Could you please tell me more about it? I help my mother with her genealogy. She has been working on my fathers and her families histories for near on 30 years. I would love to be able to help them to put together a book of their own, though writing children's books is what I do mainly. Thanks in advance, Emily Darlington Creator of the Molly Series and second generation genealogist This may not be the best list for your purpose. There is a RootsWeb list for authors: GENAUTHOR-L. You'll find it on the RW mailing lists page under Other/Miscellaneous. In addition, you'll probably find a lot of help by subscribing to the surname and county lists for your parents and grandparents, at least. Wilson