Forum:Restrictions on "images by" categories

This is a proposal to forbid the use of “Images by” categories unless the images within them were created by or modified by the user in question. Let me explain this one in a bit more detail. I have a category I’m going to use as an example, but let it be known that this is NOT an indictment of the user in question. I just needed an example to explain my point more effectively. It will help you to more clearly understand what I’m talking about.

The example in question is Category:Images by Jasca Ducato. If you take a look inside, very few of those images were actually created BY Jasca Ducato. Such a category is basically implying that the user actually created or modified the images in there, which is not true. The whole thing is incredibly borderline when it comes to respecting copyright law, but more so respecting the people who really DID create the images. Think of it like this: if you created a whole bunch of artwork and then went to another website and saw that they were in a gallery of images called “Images by John Doe”, wouldn’t you be a little upset? It’s one thing to use an image with permission or under fair use, but it’s a whole other thing to imply, even if inadvertently, that you created it.

A good example of how these categories should be used is Category:Images by Victor Dorantes. Every image in there was either created by Vic or modified by Vic (NOTE: modifications do not mean “I CROPPED IT OMG LOL IT’S MAH IMAGE NOW WEEEEEEE”, but rather that you made significant (and legal) changes). He doesn’t have licensed images in there like Images by Jasca Ducato does. It’s Vic’s type that should be allowed, whereas Jasca’s type should be disallowed.

Let’s be honest here. Unless you really need a big pat on the back for your ability to click a few buttons, you don’t need categories saying that you uploaded an image, because that’s (for the most part) all a category like “Images by Jasca Ducato” is - a category of images he uploaded to this wiki. You might as well start making categories like “Articles edited by Brandon Rhea” or “Proposals voted upon by Drewton”. It’s useless, but when it comes to this sort of thing it’s disrespectful.

If this passes, I will add a section to the categorization policy addressing this. This forum will last from Friday, May 1, 2009 to Firday, May 8, 2009, unless an extension is required or there is overwhelming consensus on either side. All matters of the voting policy apply. Please remember to be civil.

Support

 * 1) As the proposer. - Brandon Rhea (talk) (contribs) 21:58, 1 May 2009 (UTC)

Discussion
Please keep all discussion about the proposal in this section. - Brandon Rhea (talk) (contribs) 21:58, 1 May 2009 (UTC)