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MDGarcia

Image Policy FAQ

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Since we've been running into a problem, lately, with posting images that have murky states of ownership at best, here's a handy FAQ for you:

Q: Is it okay for me to post images where I don't own or didn't create some of the sources?

A: If you're using images or renders that you did not create, you must include links to, or at the very least, give credit to the original artists.

Q: What if I am the original artist?

A: Please give yourself full credit, if only for the purposes of posterity.  If you've posted it on your website, link to it, so that a Google spider can find the relevant links.

Q: But if the source is on the Internet, it's free to use, right?

A: Absolutely not!  This is a common and highly abused misconception about art and the Internet.  Although some artists tend to make their works available for free online, does not imply that you can appropriate it without giving full credit to them.  As writers, we would be most upset if someone were to use our writing in someone else's works, and then claim credit for it, right?  We have to have the same level of respect for those who work in other mediums.

Q: What about photomanipulations?

A: This applies to ANY art posted on the site.  If it's a screencap, say so.  If it's a headshot from another series, please credit the original photographer/series/copyright owners.

Q: Why do we have to do this?  It seems silly to have to put in this much work...

A: Ad Astra provides this service at no cost to you.  But in doing so, we've opened ourselves up to a liability issue.  Although fanfic is mostly ignored, artwork is most often not.  Image searches become easier everyday, and Google spiders are permanent residents on Ad Astra.  If Ad Astra comes under legal fire, we have to address it, or risk losing this site.  By not complying with our policies, you put everyone else at risk.  We have to actively police ourselves in order to ensure that doesn't happen.

Q: What will happen if I don't comply with this policy?

A: You will be warned, placed on a moderator watchlist for an unspecified amount of time.  Further infractions will result in one of the following: Moderation of all posts, temporary bans, and permanent bans.  In every case, the image will be removed from the site or the forums.

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The above policy will be amended as needed, with or without notice.

For the TL;DR crowd: The bottom line is that you have to give credit where credit is due.  A lot of people have put a lot of work into making Ad Astra the site that it is today, and we want to make sure it sticks around for a long time.  When we post indiscriminately, we run the risk of an Image search finding us and bringing down the heat from deep-pocketed corporations.  We've already received complaints from some artists about images, before, so we have to pursue this policy with all diligence, which includes a post such as this.

Thank you,

The Ad Astra Community Admin Team

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