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[QnA]

I'm playing an online game which incorporates user-created maps and I'm on a very detailed Unites States counties map. I'm not sure if the creator traced over a copyrighted image or not, but it seems like that would be likely. I'm emailed the person who currently owns the map, and he said that he didn't create it, so he doesn't know. Anyway, would it be illegal to play on this map which may be an infringement of copyright?

Responses greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[QnA]

Once again: responses greatly appreciated. Why is the copyright forum so inactive?

[artchain]

The forum is slow because it was down for a long time due to a high volume of spam.  Now that it's back up, people need to "rediscover" it.

As for your question, if you are not copying, reproducing, or distributing the map, then you would not be responsible to copyright violations (if any).

Note that some maps are not protected by copyright.  Maps prepared by US employees or agencies are almost always public domain.  Also, a simple outline of geographic or political boundaries, prepared from existing data sources, would generally not have sufficient originality to be protected by copyright.

[QnA]

So tracing over the map would not be a copyright violation? What about information about county names, populations, etc. that come from copyrighted sources?

Thanks!

[QnA]

Responses still greatly appreciated!

[Smokin]

You cant copyright a fact.

Besides, there is alot of art and creativity used in building modded maps and games and many ingredients go into such a processes. A good argument can be made that even if copyrighted material was used, its a "fair use" in the same way a protected image in a collage can be considered fair use to create a new entirely independent work of art that does not compete or infringe on the original.

IMHO, if you are playing a video game and you are worried about infringing copyrights because of what some moder made, then its a sad how basterdized the copyright situation has gotten.