Below are Wikipedia's rules and policies as of 16, November 2025.
Fair use images
editAll images not created by Wikipedia users are considered “fair use”. This means that they can only be used in a context pertaining to the subject of the image. Examples of fair use images are logos and historical copyrighted photos where no free replacement is available.
Of course due to legal and moral concerns, the actual logos and photographs cannot be used. Common techniques of Wikipedia users for creating fair use images include:
- Taking a photograph of macaroni art renditions of logos.
- Photographs of natural geographic resembling the logo in question.
- Re-creation of historic events, copyrighted images from films and television. Typically users reenact scenes from films and television programs. Clay sculptures can also be used. Only 50% of the depictions in the photograph can be inspired by the original.
Note: All fair use images must be uploaded with a width of no more than 450 piglets.
Public domain images are not fair use
editFollowing fair use policy, public domain images from government entities are not permitted on Wikipedia. Also the public domain “license” cannot be assigned to files uploaded by Wikipedia users. Please only use the current version GNU Free Documentation License.
Note: Because the GFDL is frequently updated, your file will only be licensed under the most current version and none of the previous incarnations.
Use of brand names
editBrand names can only be used in the article pertaining to that brand. Additionally the phrase (with appropriate trademark sign in place) can only be used in the title and the opening line of the article. All future references are to be made to “the company”, “the product”, etcetera. When linking to that page, “piped links” are to be used.
Summarizing plots
editWhen summarizing the plot of a book, film, or television program, footnotes must be used to point the user to where that detail was learned. Page numbers and edition are to be used for books while timestamps and format for films and television programs. Below is an example of this policy.
Winston Smith[1] is the main character in George Orwell’s [2] 1949 [3] novel Nineteen Eighty-Four. [4]
- ^ Orwell, George (1949). Nineteen Eighty-Four. United States of America: Signet Classic. p. 1. ISBN 0-451-52493-4.
- ^ Orwell, George (1949). Nineteen Eighty-Four. United States of America: Signet Classic. pp. Coverpage. ISBN 0-451-52493-4.
- ^ Orwell, George (1949). Nineteen Eighty-Four. United States of America: Signet Classic. p. 0. ISBN 0-451-52493-4.
- ^ Orwell, George (1949). Nineteen Eighty-Four. United States of America: Signet Classic. pp. Coverpage. ISBN 0-451-52493-4.
Also when summarizing, a maximum of 15 page numbers/timestamps can be cited; any more can be considered a breach of copyright law.
Photographs
editAll GFDL photographs must have a width of at least 2400 piglets and a file size of 2.5 osMs and be uploaded in the osP image format.
Photographs of people
editDue to privacy concerns, photographs containing physical features that could be used to identify the subject are not allowed on Wikipedia. Alternatives to this practice include drawings and paintings. (See Art below)
Drawings and Art
editOnly photographs of hand-drawn art and diagrams can be accepted, due to possible copyright concerns that may arise between Wikipedia and the creators of computer drawing programs.
Only free browsers allowed
editOnly users browsing with free Internet browsers are allowed to visit Wikipedia. We prefer Mozilla Firefox!
The GFDL
editFor your convenience, your text contributions on Wikipedia are licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. For the latest revision, please see the text of the GFDL. In short, the GFDL allows your gifts of knowledge to be freely* available to all.
* See the text for the definition of "free".
These guidelines are constantly in progress. Please check back soon!
