[OSM-legal-talk] Changeset Comments Copyright

[GITNE]

On 09/23/2020 at 03:45 AM Kathleen Lu via legal-talk wrote:
> Hi GITNE,
> Can you also specify what you think the problem is?

I am not sure if I can be more specific. So, I am just going to reword what I
have written so that perhaps then things become clearer. In my understanding the
Contributor Terms do not cover changeset comments, simply because they are not
part of the geo-database, nor become at any time part of it. The same applies to
user's blog posts or forum posts on OSM's website. They are not covered by the
Contributor Terms either, again simply because they are not part of
OpenStreetMap project's geo-database, or in other words, they are not
contributed *to* the geo-database.

> I get the feeling that you have an objection to changeset comments being posted in Slack. I'm assuming such
> comments appear in the OSMUS slack group which is popular with mappers. Why do
> you think this is a bad thing?

I do not object to Slack per se. It is a legitimate business like any other.
However, I do object to the violation of copyright for profit, regardless of the
entity who might be doing it. And, unfortunately this is exactly what Slack
currently seems to be doing.

> (To be clear, I think your premise is wrong and that the definition of
> "Contents" in the Contributor Terms clearly includes changeset comments.)

I beg to differ. “any other content” is limited in scope, namely by contribution
“to the geo-database”. Besides, it is wise to do so, especially if you consider
blog and forum post copyrights. Legitimate reasons exist for the OSMF to limit
the scope of licensing to only certain types of contributions.

Anyway, thank you Kathleen for your answer. However, I am unsure whether this
your opinion or legal assessment? Because a legal assessment is actually what I
would like to know.

Regards
GITNE