You can use our content!

How is Wikinews content licensed?

The vast majority of the original textual content on Wikinews is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 (CC-BY) license. Some older content is in the public domain, and that content can be used with no restrictions—applicable articles are clearly labelled.

Images may be released under varying licenses—mostly, they are free to reuse with a few simple conditions, although a number of files are used under the principle of fair use. To find out the license of an image used in an article, simply click on it and you will be taken to its description page.

The copyright to the content remains in the hands of the original authors, but by submitting it to Wikinews, they provide an irrevocable and non-exclusive license to use the content according to the terms outlined below and in the license deed.

The exceptions to the above are official logos of the Wikimedia Foundation and its projects, including Wikinews. The rights to said logos are wholly reserved by the Wikimedia Foundation, and additional trademark restrictions apply. Use of these logos is only allowed under the principle of fair use.

What can I do?

You may...

...copy and publish Wikinews content in any format and distribute it via any medium you wish.
...use Wikinews content for any purpose, even commercially.
...modify Wikinews content however you like, as long as you don't change the meaning of the text.
...do all of the above without paying a penny or asking for permission.

What must I do?

You must...

...provide correct attribution. This just means crediting the content to "Wikinews".
- If your use is online, you should include a link to the original article.
- In print publications, the URL of the main page (http://en.wikinews.org) will suffice, but the URL of the original article is preferred if possible.
...clearly separate any additions from the original Wikinews text. If you add to our content in syndication, please indicate your additions clearly, to avoid making it look like we said it.

Should you fail to comply with these conditions, the author of the content may, at their discretion, submit a takedown request under the terms of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, failure to comply with which may result in further legal action.

What can't I do?

You must not...

...imply that we support your cause. Wikinews has a strict neutral point of view policy, and neither supports not opposes any particular cause. You must not use our content in any way that implies either the Wikinews community or the Wikimedia Foundation supports your cause or organisation.
...use Wikinews content out-of-context to alter the meaning of the text, or modify it in such a way that you do so.
...use Wikinews content without attribution.

What should I be wary of?

You should be aware that...

...Wikinews content is user-generated. While we make every effort to ensure that the information in our articles is accurate and free of copyright concerns, we make no warranty regarding the fitness-for-use of our content.
...only published content is suitable for reuse. Wikinews employs a peer-review system, by which an independent editor must approve an article prior to publication. Unreviewed articles may contain untrue, unverifiable, or copyright-infringing content.
- Articles are visible on the site prior to publication, but only published articles appear on the Main Page.
- Unpublished articles are indicated by a prominent tag at the top of the page.

I still don't understand; where can I get more information?

More information about the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution license, as well as the official wording of the license, can be found on the Creative Commons website.
If you have any other questions about reusing our content, our volunteers will be more than happy to answer your questions. Simply leave a message on the water cooler, and someone will respond as soon as possible. This is the fastest and easiest way to get in touch with us.
- Alternatively, if you would prefer to converse in confidence, you can contact our volunteer email respondents by sending an email to wikinews-en@wikimedia.org.

Disclaimer

Most Wikinews contributors are not lawyers; where they are lawyers, they are not your lawyers; they cannot provide authoritative legal advice.
If you have serious concerns about the legality, and potential liability, involved in copying Wikinews content, consult a lawyer.
Wikinews believes the above is accurate, valid, and fully applicable, under United States copyright laws.