Wikipedia:Freedom of panorama

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Abraj Al Bait
(© 2012 SL Rasch GmbH and Dar Al-Handasah Consultants architecture firms), can be locally uploaded on English Wikipedia by virtue of U.S. freedom of panorama law.

Freedom of panorama (FoP) is a copyright-law principle, in some but not all jurisdictions, under which a building or other work that a) is subject to copyright but b) is on permanent public display, may be photographed/filmed in its public context without the derivative-work photographic record being a copyright infringement.

The English Wikipedia follows U.S. copyright law only, described in more detail at

FoP-USonly
}}.

The acceptance of such images under their original resolutions is the result of

lex loci protectionis
.

Images of other works

Images of unfree three-dimensional works (like sculptures and monuments) from countries that have no freedom of panorama provisions should be treated as non-free images in accordance with the guidelines at Wikipedia:Non-free content, even if the images are taken by the uploaders themselves. A typical image of unfree three-dimensional works must be tagged with {{Non-free 3D art}}, and if it has the uploader's license, an additional {{Photo of art}} tag is used. This is in addition to a detailed and justifiable non-free use rationale. If the images are still in their large and original resolutions, editors are highly-encouraged to tag these with {{Non-free reduce}} for reduction of their resolutions.

The same is applied to images of unfree two-dimensional works (like murals), from countries with no relevant freedom of panorama provisions. However, {{Non-free 2D art}} is used instead of the tag for 3D works.

Acceptable and unacceptable uses

Parts of this section are based on Wikipedia:Non-free content#Guideline examples.

Acceptable use/s
  • Image of a statue still under its artist's copyright, in a country with no complete freedom of panorama, to be used as an infobox image of the article discussing the statue itself.
  • Image of a recent painting or mural by a living artist, to be used for critical commentary, including images illustrative of a particular technique or school.
Unacceptable use/s
  • Image of a statue still under its artist's copyright, in a country with no complete freedom of panorama, to be used in an article of the subject of the statue.
  • Images of murals by living artists, used in a gallery section or in a list article.

See also