FAQ #8: What are violations of the DeviantArt copyright policy?

FAQ 8 is probably one of the most important FAQs many groups deal with and encounter, sometimes without even knowing it. deviantART, while is loose on some aspects of copyright policy, is fairly strict with others. And sometimes, it depends on who you get at the help desk.



"a creative work protected under copyright ... without first getting the proper permission from the owner."

The first paragraph has these words. These are the most important words in that paragraph. In its most basic form, this says, "If it isn't yours, you can't use it." In the most complicated light, this says, "If it isn't yours, get permission from the owner before you use it." Despite how simple this seems, people mess it up all the time. Everyone thinks Fair Use and De Minimus are get-out-of-jail-free-cards. No. Everyone thinks credit makes it okay. No. Stick with the basics and you will be happy and the people around you will be happy.

"The most common ways this can happen is by simply posting the work to a deviantART gallery, adapting or copying the original work or by manipulating or altering the original."

Again, this all means that you can't repost it if it doesn't belong to you, you can't copy it if it doesn't belong to you, and you can't edit it if it doesn't belong to you.