How does one know if a site's images really are public domain?

[cre8ivim]

What is the name of your state? Florida

Thanks for your reply to my other post Flying Ron. Now does anyone know the answer to my other question?

Are there public domain sites for clip art and photographs that are safe from copyright infringement? If so, how do I know if the site owner is telling the truth? I read on another website to be wary of such a thing.

For example: pdphoto.org says it's images are public domain. Can I use their images for my commercial use?What is the name of your state?

 

[quincy]

Most works enter the public domain because their copyrights have expired. To determine whether a work is in the public domain and available for use without the author's permission, find out when the work was published. For works published after 1977, the copyright lasts for the life of the author plus 70 years (however, if the work was a work done in the course of employment - a "work for hire" - or is published anonymously or under a pseudonym, the copyright lasts between 95 and 120 years, depending on publication date).

All works published before 1923 in the U.S. are in the public domain. Works published after 1922 but before 1964 are protected for 95 years, if a renewal was filed with the Copyright Office during the 28th year. If no renewal was filed, then the works are in the public domain. Works published from 1964 to 1977 are protected for 95 years whether a renewal was filed or not. If the work was created but not published before 1978, the copyright lasts for the life of the author plus 70 years. Any work published before 2003, then, would have copyrights that last until 2047.

The Copyright Office will check renewal information for you, for a fee. You can also conduct a search yourself - www.copyright.gov - to determine publication date and renewal information.

You should assume every work is protected by copyright unless you can establish otherwise. There is an exception called "fair use" - but whether a work is covered under the fair use rule or not must be determined by courts.

As a general rule, you need permission to reproduce copyrighted materials, including photos, text, music, and artwork. It is always best to track down the copyright holder and ask for permission.