Is it legal?

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Usafirebird
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Is it legal?

Post by Usafirebird »

Are photos of celebrities found online public domain and legal for printing by a photo printer such as Walgreens?
Hartster
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Re: Is it legal?

Post by Hartster »

Short answer: No. Most things online are not public domain unless specifically stated (like NASA photos are public domain.) Will you get in trouble for printing them out? Unlikely, although you may get places which refuse to print them out unless you have a photo release.

Personally, when someone used one of my photos without asking, I sent them an invoice based on what I had gotten paid for a magazine (who had gotten permission.) I have also successfully sent letters asking people to remove my photo from a webpage they were using, or face legal action.

(Think about it: If things online were public domain, then why would people post stuff for free? How would authors, photographers and the like get paid?)
Space enthusiast w/a Sharpie! Ex-journalist. Published in British Interplanetary Society's Spaceflight and National Geographic Traveler magazines; also NASA's Scientist-Astronauts, Freedom 7: The Historic Flight of Alan B. Shepard books and contributor to The Star Trek Encyclopedia: A Reference Guide to the Future and the A Matter of Time: The Unauthorized Back to the Future Lexicon among others. Follow me at @HBSastrowardoyo, check out my astronaut and other space travelers autograph collection at https://www.flickr.com/photos/45855752@ ... 973452526/


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