[Talk-GB] Copyright issues of checking details on other websites

[David Earl]

On 05/07/2011 10:51, Richard Fairhurst wrote:
> Exactly that.
>
> If you want a very very broad rule of thumb, you could ask "am I checking
> these contact details against a database of contact details?".
>
> If so (e.g. tesco.com list of their stores, beerintheevening.com list of
> pubs, etc.), then don't do it.

Even then, to infringe database copyright under UK law you would have to 
copy a "substantial" part of the database. Checking or obtaining a few 
names against such a list isn't database copyright infringement, and the 
name itself isn't copyright (or if it is, we wouldn't be able to put it 
in OSM even if obtained from a survey).

Of course, the definition of "substantial" is a matter for courts.

David