Over the past weeks, Osprey Publishing has been carefully investigating the issue of image copyright on missing-lynx.
In a strict interpretation of copyright and patent law, some rights owners could conceivably object to their trade marks or other registered patents being shown on screen, even in the private circumstances of missing-lynx.
However, an attempt recently by such a rights owner to restrict a much more public use of its brand was rejected by the courts, as the judge ruled that it was still an ‘incidental’ use and did not represent a loss of value or reputation to the owner.
Although our legal advisors continue to investigate this issue, the burden of their advice so far is that the posting of images on the site constitutes fair dealing, and would not represent a copyright breach, provided that the following criteria are obeyed:
§ Images must be posted at low-resolution (72 dpi)
§ Copyright and trade mark owners must be credited for the use of their images whenever this is reasonably possible
In the light of this preliminary advice, we are pleased to announce that users may resume the posting of images on the site in the usual way. Please note, however, that Osprey Publishing’s stance on this issue may be modified in the light of new information or legal recommendations that may emerge. Osprey Publishing remains committed to protecting the future of missing-lynx as a leading forum for armour modellers, and must therefore ensure that the site it operates is legally compliant.
We would like to thank all missing-lynx users for their patience and support during this difficult period.
missing-lynx team
