Category:Images needing PD-US verification

This category contains all images that have been tagged with PD-US-suspect, which states the following:


 * This photograph was created before, but it has not been determined when it was first published. If it was published before , it is in the public domain in the United States. It may be in the public domain if it was first published after , depending on the circumstances. More research is needed to definitely determine its copyright status. When adequate publication information is provided, please replace this notice with a correct copyright tag.

Once the uploader, or anyone, documents publication information, the tag can be removed and the image will be removed from this category. At this point the image will either be verified as PD or it will be shown to be non-free. Particularly suspect images may be listed at Files for discussion.

If an image was created in the U.S. prior to, it may still be under copyright if the author (photographer) died less than 70 years ago. Where the author is anonymous, or in cases of corporate authorship, copyright may be held if the image was created less than 95 years ago. Where the author is unknown (but not specifically anonymous), the U.S. Copyright Office does not declare the author "presumed deceased" until 120 years after the creation of the work.

Notwithstanding all this, an image is still PD in the U.S. if it was published before, or if it was published before 1978 without a prominent &copy; notice, or if it was published before 1963 and the copyright was not renewed, or if any other factor would cause the work to be ineligible for copyright protection.

If an image was created outside the U.S. prior to, it is PD if it was published before. If it was first published after, it is only PD if it's country of origin considered it PD in 1996.

Copyright law is complex and often misunderstood. If you have questions, please ask at Media copyright questions.