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^ By me and my SS *squiggle hugs*

If you use images/coding/content from other sites, or screencaps/text from other works (movies, books...) , you should give credit to the copyright owners (webmasters of the sites you got images from, New Line Cinema for LotR screencaps, etc). Also if it's possible that people could confuse your site for an official site, putting a message about that is good. (Like A-U: "I am not Liv Tyler...")

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<img src="http://thulcandra.com/randombanner/banner.php" title="Banner by Arwen">
I can help with HTML/CSS/JavaScript/PHP/ASP. I can't do graphics or layouts.
Post in Site Help, I'll see it. Or PM me.

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^ By me and my SS *squiggle hugs*

Something like that. Saying that your graphics are yours helps other people credit you properly. I think if you've got the credits page you don't really need a disclaimer.

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<img src="http://thulcandra.com/randombanner/banner.php" title="Banner by Arwen">
I can help with HTML/CSS/JavaScript/PHP/ASP. I can't do graphics or layouts.
Post in Site Help, I'll see it. Or PM me.

That's even better! One less page I have to code!

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^ By me and my SS *squiggle hugs*

Hahahaha! Sorry while I nearly fall off my chair. You cannot use any images or copy content from another person without solid written permission (especially from movies, books, etc.) Written permission! Visit the official LotR site and take the time to read up on the Terms & Services. Lucky for you, I'm doing the honors. (Although I should smack whoever coded lotr.net upside the head because their annoying flash doesn't even work in Firefox and I had to change browsers, oh-my-god)

Ah here we go:

The NL Sites are controlled and operated by New Line Cinema ("New Line," "we," "us," or "our"). If you wish to contact us, you may contact us. The NL Sites were created to be both useful and entertaining. All materials on the NL Sites ("Online Materials"), including, without limitation, names, logos, trademarks, service marks, images, illustrations, audio clips, and video clips, are protected by copyrights and other intellectual property rights owned and controlled by New Line or by other parties that have licensed their material to New Line. You may download and retain only a single copy of the Online Materials, solely for your personal, non-commercial use. No Online Material may be copied, reproduced, republished, modified, uploaded, posted, transmitted, distributed in any way, or otherwise used for any purpose without the prior written permission of their respective owners. You may not add, delete, distort, or otherwise modify the contents on the NL Sites. Any unauthorized attempts to modify any Online Material, to defeat or circumvent our security features, or to utilize the NL Sites for other than their intended purposes are prohibited. Please report any material on any NL Site which you believe may infringe your copyright by following our Copyright Notice and Takedown Procedure. Click here for our Copyright Notice and Takedown Procedure.

If they wanted to be picky, they could shut you down BY LAW. Although A-U.com is a wonderful site, with over 15,000 screen caps and numerous more manipulated banners, pics, etc., A-U.com could be fined and shut down. (tsk tsk Arwen!)

http://www.whatiscopyright.org

Read.

Think of it this way, say you wrote a book or made a movie, and some people came along, manipulated the images to make it look funny, or perhaps make it better and then get praised for it. Not only are they taking credit for the work they've done on the picture, but for the picture itself. Wouldn't you be ticked off? I know I would.

BTW, I don't why everyone thinks that even if you credit them and have a disclaimer makes it okay. Regardless if you credit them on every page of your site, you are still breaking copyright law.

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A Wedding? I love Weddings! Drinks all around!

The reason that the thousands of fan sites in existence aren't in violation of copyright law is something called Fair Use, which gives you some leeway for private and noncommercial use. The rules are a little fuzzy. I doubt very much that Arwen could legally be fined, but she could get a cease-and-desist letter if the Tolkien Estate or New Line Cinema decided to be nasty. Then she could take it to the court, and it'd be up to the judge to decide exactly how many screenshots fair use would let her keep.

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<img src="http://thulcandra.com/randombanner/banner.php" title="Banner by Arwen">
I can help with HTML/CSS/JavaScript/PHP/ASP. I can't do graphics or layouts.
Post in Site Help, I'll see it. Or PM me.

The safest course is always to get permission from the copyright owner before using copyrighted material. The Copyright Office cannot give this permission.

When it is impracticable to obtain permission, use of copyrighted material should be avoided unless the doctrine of “fair use” would clearly apply to the situation. The Copyright Office can neither determine if a certain use may be considered “fair” nor advise on possible copyright violations. If there is any doubt, it is advisable to consult an attorney.

Section 107 contains a list of the various purposes for which the reproduction of a particular work may be considered “fair,” such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research.

Fair Use isn't a leeway, it's a last resort. Also, regardless that fining people isn't very likely, doesn't make it correct. Fair Use is only for criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. This mostly applies to news and movie critics. It says nothing here regarding photos.

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A Wedding? I love Weddings! Drinks all around!

That is absolutely enough- if the rudeness on this thread does not cease immediately, I will have to close it, which would be very unfair to JF. So please, consider her and stop arguing.

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I am a Shieldmaiden for Christ!

I was Nienor before Nienor was cool. *nods coolly*
Kudos to Kitoky for the fabulous signature set, and art credit to engelszorn.
Who wants to join me in bringing back the lady?

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^ By me and my SS *squiggle hugs*

Yes, and those thousands of sites barely know or follow the copyright law because no one ever gets busted- but that doesn't make it right. I'm trying to find more information regarding this issue (disclaimers, etc.)

Oh by the way, I checked Council of Elrond to see if they had something, but they didn't even have a credits or disclaimer link, all they had was this:



This doesn't quite qualify. (Does it?)

I don't know.

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A Wedding? I love Weddings! Drinks all around!