Copyright
General terms
Most rights on property in our economy and society are related to or covered by Intellectual property rules and legislation: so is this game and all elements linked to it. The most 'famous' type of property or rights would be copyright.
If you are interested in using the platform, check the file Joining the game which explains more about using any data related to this simulation. All content related to the simulation on any platforms is protected by legislation, so, though visible, not free to use without a license.
Contributing to the content
The basic situation is easy: everything anywhere is copyrighted automatically by law. So all pictures and images which you can find anywhere, even on the internet or social. So keep that in mind when using existing pictures, photos when playing the simulation. There is no copyright or trademark symbol anything needed. So the fact that you can copy something (save as...) doesn't mean you are allowed to do so. Also telling a picture or a photo has copyrights and mentioning the name of the 'owner' is not sufficient. Copyright means you have to have an agreement with the owner. There are a number of exemptions (depending on legislation per country).
Mostly this will be:
- Humour
- Citation (so short fragments with references). Using a photo is NOT a short reference.
- Creative adding by which the (new) image, music, video or text is a kind of new product
- Education (to a certain extent).
We urge you, do not bet on number three and four, but be safe and chose for own images or images you can use for free. As participant of the game you will create things 'public', so really look at what you do 'publish', considering IP! As far as the content on this platform, as participant you have the license to use all of the content as agreed.
The Commons, Creative commons
Some images - sounds - video's e.g. are published under Creative Commons (choice of the right-owners) or have fallen into in the Commons (when the IP rights have expired or there is no IP right applicable). For those elements there is different regulations; often they are free to use, keeping some restrictions in mind. They have different rules than those of the IP.
More info on this:
There are enough sites with copyright free content based on the for-mentioned two systems; free stock material e.g.
Google even offers this search specification in Google image-search: use the tab Search Images - Tools - Usage Rights and then chose Labeled for reuse.
Flickr and many others sites offer free images (beware which one you chose, some have just a limited number of free images):
- Pexels, our favorite, only photo and video
- Freepik and Flaticon especially images and graphics form free
- The Noun project, free but you need an account. Mainly icons
- iStockphoto - Getty images paid
- Typical Duitch, and paid
- Shutterstock: not all for free!
- Flickr: not all free
- Freeimages
- Unsplash
- librestock.com searching in 47 free stock images databases
Good suggestion: make pictures yourself. Or, when using material, make a serious (creative) change to existing material, then reusing it probably is allowed. Think logical, and you will prevent most problems. New regulations, like GDPR have influence as well. In the case of this training program, be aware, for instance, of whom you take pictures of or which one to use.
Regarding free sounds, music, and videos, the same structure. Free material for instance on:
Be aware, that as you put things 'out' real live, it is important that you really take copyright serious, as you are responsible for this. There is special browser add-ons and Reverse image search tools which can track and trace the internet and social easily for miss-use (read unpaid use) of material. There is a number of legal firms only doing this; searching for IP-infringement, invoicing you and splitting the revenues with the right-owners. And, even 'free material', like under creative commons, might have it's own license rules. If you do not stick to them, still it is called infringement.
Release and copyrights platform
If you are a participant in the simulation, be sure to read the page disclaimer. Be sure when working on this game that whatever you post, you have the right to post that picture, photo, video or text without infringing anyone's copyrights. The website is actively monitored but as the entire game is an ongoing real-time process it is hard to oversee all of the changes in all of the media and all of the impacts. All postings are, for that matter, the individual responsibility of the editor of that specific piece of content. Keep in mind; this also goes for social media!
If, by any means, you ended up on this website and think that the content offends your rights in any way, please contact us and we will respond.
Details on content of the simulation
If you are a participant in the EmeraldForestHotel gameplay or linked to one of the partners, you are granted license to use all the material in this platform and the linked social media during the license duration. Just, regarding the use and new material, take the portrait rights of the people into account, and our privacy policy.
More on rights and disclaimers
- For more info on our privacy policy check Emerald Forest Hotel:Privacy policy
- For more info on our disclaimer Emerald Forest Hotel:General disclaimer which explains what happens to things you upload during the simulation.
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