diff --git a/app/flatpages/help.md b/app/flatpages/help.md index cdcc9b7f..c939a253 100644 --- a/app/flatpages/help.md +++ b/app/flatpages/help.md @@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ toc: False ## Help for Package Authors * [Package Inclusion Policy and Guidance](/policy_and_guidance/) +* [Copyright Guide](copyright) * [Git Update Detection](update_config) * [Creating Releases using Webhooks](release_webhooks) * [Package Configuration and Releases Guide](package_config) diff --git a/app/flatpages/help/copyright.md b/app/flatpages/help/copyright.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000..407c27fc --- /dev/null +++ b/app/flatpages/help/copyright.md @@ -0,0 +1,146 @@ +title: Copyright Guide + +## Why should I care? + +Falling foul of copyright law can put you and ContentDB into legal trouble. Receiving a Cease and Desist, DMCA notice, +or a Court Summons isn't pleasant for anyone, and can turn out to be very expensive. This page contains some +guidance on how to ensure your content is clearly licensed and attributed to avoid these issues. + +Additionally, ContentDB and the forums both have some +[requirements on the licenses](/policy_and_guidance/#41-allowed-licenses) you are allowed to use. Both require +[free distribution and modification](/help/non_free/), allowing us to remain an open community where people can fork +and remix each other's content. To this end, you need to make sure your content is clearly licensed. + +**As always, we are not lawyers and this does not constitute legal advice.** + + +## What do I need to do? + +### Follow the licenses + +Make sure you understand the licenses for anything you copy into your content. +[TL;DR Legal](https://tldrlegal.com/license/mit-license) is a good resource for quickly understanding +licenses, although you should actually read the text as well. + +If you use code from other sources (such as mods or games), you'll need to make sure you follow +their license. A common one is attribution, you should do this by adding a comment next to the +code and crediting the author in your README / LICENSE file. + +It's sometimes fine to copy trivial/small amounts of code under fair use, but this +is a bit of a grey area. It's better to understand the solution and rewrite it yourself. + +### List the sources of your media + +It's a good idea to create a list of all the media you used in your package, as it allows +you to keep track of where the media came from. Media includes textures, 3d models, +sounds, and more. + +You should have the following information: + +* File name (as found in your package) +* Author name +* License +* Source (URL to the webpage, mod name, website name) + +It's common to do this in README.md or LICENSE.md like so: + +```md +* conquer_arrow_*.png from [Simple Shooter](https://github.com/stujones11/shooter) by Stuart Jones, CC0 1.0. +* conquer_arrow.b3d from [Simple Shooter](https://github.com/stujones11/shooter) by Stuart Jones, CC-BY-SA 3.0. +* conquer_arrow_head.png from MTG, CC-BY-SA 3.0. +* health_*.png from [Gauges](https://content.minetest.net/packages/Calinou/gauges/) by Calinou, CC0. +``` + +if you have a lot of media, then you can split it up by author like so: + +```md +[Kenney](https://www.kenney.nl/assets/voxel-pack), CC0: + +* mymod_fence.png + +John Green, CC BY-SA 4.0 from [OpenGameArt](https://opengameart.org/content/tiny-16-basic): + +* mymod_texture.png +* mymod_another.png + +Your Name, CC BY-SA 4.0: + +* mymod_texture_i_made.png +``` + + +## Where can I get freely licensed media? + +* [OpenGameArt](https://opengameart.org/) - everything +* [Kenney game assets](https://www.kenney.nl/assets) - everything +* [Free Sound](https://freesound.org/) - sounds +* [PolyHaven](https://polyhaven.com/) - 3d models and textures. +* Other Minetest mods/games + + Don't assume the author has correctly licensed their work. + Make sure they have clearly indicated the source in a list [like above](#list-the-sources-of-your-media). + If they didn't make it, then go to the actual source to check the license. + + +## Common Situations + +### I made it myself, using X as a guide + +Copying by hand is still copying, the law doesn't distinguish this from copy+paste. +Make your own art without copying colors or patterns from existing games/art. + +If you need a good set of colors, see [LOSPEC](https://lospec.com/palette-list). + +### I got it from Google Images / Search / the Internet + +You do not have permission to use things unless you are given permission to do so by the author. +No license is exactly the same as "Copyright © All Rights Reserved". +To use on ContentDB or the forums, you must also be given a clear license. + +Try searching with "creative commons" in the search term, and then clicking through to the page +and looking for a license. Make sure the source looks trustworthy, as there are a lot of websites +that rip off art and give an incorrect license. But it might be better to use a trusted source directly, see +[the section above](#where-can-i-get-freely-licensed-media) for a list. + +### I have permission from the author + +You'll also need to make sure that the author gives you an explicit license for it, such as CC BY-SA 4.0. +Permission for *you* to use it doesn't mean that *everyone* has permission to use it. A license outlines the terms of +the permission, making things clearer and less vague. + +### The author said it's free for anyone to use, is that enough? + +No, you need an explicit license like CC0 or CC BY-SA 4.0. ContentDB does not allow custom licenses +or public domain. + +### I used an AI + +Errrr. This is an untested area, we highly recommend that **you don't use AI art/code** in packages. + +For now, we haven't banned AI art from ContentDB. Make sure to clearly include it in your package's +credit list (include the name of the AI tool used). + +Check the tools terms and conditions to see if there are any constraints on use. It looks +like AI-generated art and code isn't copyrightable by itself, but the tool's T&Cs may still +impose conditions. + +AI art/code may regurgitate copyrighted things. Make sure that you don't include the +names of any copyrighted materials in your AI prompts, such as names of games or artists. + + +## What does ContentDB do? + +The package authors and maintainers are responsible for the licenses and copyright of packages on ContentDB. +ContentDB editors will check packages to make sure the package page's license matches up with the list of licenses +inside the package download, but do not investigate each piece of media or line of code. + +If a copyright violation is reported to us, we will unlist the package and contact the author/maintainers. +Once the problem has been fixed, the package can be restored. + + +## Where can I get help? + +[Join](https://www.minetest.net/get-involved/) IRC, Matrix, or Discord to ask for help. +In Discord, there are the #assets or #contentdb channels. In IRC or Matrix, you can just ask in the main channels. + +If your package is already on ContentDB, you can open a thread. diff --git a/app/flatpages/policy_and_guidance.md b/app/flatpages/policy_and_guidance.md index abb82153..f68d5375 100644 --- a/app/flatpages/policy_and_guidance.md +++ b/app/flatpages/policy_and_guidance.md @@ -91,7 +91,8 @@ reimplementation of the mod that owns the name. ### 4.1. Allowed Licenses Please ensure that you correctly credit any resources (code, assets, or otherwise) -that you have used in your package. +that you have used in your package. For help on doing copyright correctly, see +the [Copyright help page](/help/copyright/). **The use of licenses that do not allow derivatives or redistribution is not permitted. This includes CC-ND (No-Derivatives) and lots of closed source licenses. @@ -101,7 +102,8 @@ of the content on servers or singleplayer is also not permitted.** However, closed sourced licenses are allowed if they allow the above. If the license you use is not on the list then please select "Other", and we'll -get around to adding it. +get around to adding it. We tend to reject custom/untested licenses, and +reserve the right to decide whether a license should be included. Please note that the definitions of "free" and "non-free" is the same as that of the [Free Software Foundation](https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.en.html).