Let me start with saying two things: 1) The word is COPYRIGHT, not copywrite, if you mean the legal ownership to words you have written, and 2) this is actually a bit off-topic for the PABERKS list but there is a wonderful list at RootsWeb called COPYRIGHT@rootsweb.com where there are experts who can answer your specific questions about copyright laws -- which can vary depending on the country being discussed. Since you posted to PABERKS I'll assume you mean USA Copyright law... That said, just a general statement to briefly answer your question: most genealogical information you find is factual: names, dates, and places involving our ancestors. Facts cannot be copyrighted by anyone in the USA because US copyright law protects original creative content. So the answer is that you cannot be guilty of copyright infringement for publishing your own genealogical information with the stipulation that if you copy information (factual information) that someone else found and researched you should always list the source where you got the information (to fail to do so is not only sloppy research but also is plagiarism to not give credit to the person who found the information). Also, copying someone else's narrative text word for word-- content they themselves created and wrote--would be copyright infringement. To sum it up, your question might sound like a simple one--but the answer is very complex and depends on many factors which can be sorted out and explained on the COPYRIGHT list if you are interested in joining that list and asking in detail there. The discussion can be very educational for those who are interested in learning. We are not attorneys on that list but many of us have studied copyright laws and court decisions and can provide general information that will answer most questions you might have. Joan In a message dated 6/17/2008 8:01:03 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, bobtheachey@comcast.net writes: Is a person tracing their own grandparental data, and finding such information in claimed copywrited information on the web, guilty of copywrite infringment when publishing their own line? **************Gas prices getting you down? Search AOL Autos for fuel-efficient used cars. (http://autos.aol.com/used?ncid=aolaut00050000000007)
Joan, The copyright issue may seem a bit off-subject on the Berks list, but your information is much appreciated and important to anyone considering writing their family history. Thank you for the copyright site, it is well worth knowing about. Betty