Wikibooks:Fair use policy/Unstable
 | This page documents an unstable draft for proposing changes to Wikibooks:Fair use policy. If the proposed changes gain consensus, the changes may be included in the current policy or guideline. You can edit this draft or discuss it. |
Fair use is a legal categorization for copyrighted material, where that material can be used in certain ways without obtaining prior permission from the copyright holder. Historically, it has been the policy of Wikibooks to allow fair use images and text, so long as good, free alternatives were not available. However, in light of certain legal and licensing issues, Wikibooks no longer allows images, text, or other media that may only have been used under the "Fair Use" laws.
Fair use images and text currently on the site are to be phased out, where free alternatives are available, and deleted after a period of time when alternatives are not available. New images, text, or other media uploaded to Wikibooks that are categorized as Fair Use may be speedily deleted as violations of Wikibooks:Copyright.
Wikibooks is not proprietary. If a topic cannot be adequately discussed without the inclusion of illustrations that are not free content, then it is not a suitable topic for a textbook in Wikibooks. Examples of unsuitable books might include a book describing how to use a particular piece of proprietary software, unless the software's author has made screenshots available under a free content license. Specifically, video game strategy guides should go on Strategywiki, not here.