An introduction to copyright
Copyright is the right to permit or prohibit copying.
This right is recognized in international treaties around the world, on the Internet as well as all other media.
The way that copyright law works, in practice, is very complex and subtle so it is essential to get detailed, expert advice on each individual case.
Copyright and GandhiServe
GandhiServe not only displays and conserves the works in its collection,
but also ensures that the works are correctly represented in reproductions and publications.
As a result of continuing research, from time to time, adjustments are made in the
attributions for its media. It is also extremely important that pictures, documents, audio and video are represented
in their most recent state of restoration. There are issues for the photographers, artists,
copyright owners, donors or lenders of works in the collection, to which, as an institution,
we have to be sensitive. For these reasons, we need to control very tightly the circumstances
and quality of reproductions from the collection.
In order to do this, we have a very active media library and licensing department, which
loans digitized files for the purpose of reproduction.
GandhiServe is a strong supporter of free entry - we do not think visitors
of our website should have to pay in order to see the collection. We raise money by licensing
images, audio and video content, which supports the 'free entry' policy and all other activities of our foundation.
GandhiServe is the only authorized institution directly representing the works of
Mahatma Gandhi's photographers. Therefore, all images represented by GandhiServe
are copyright cleared. Using our images our customers will not end up in copyright infringement
cases as with several other agencies/institutions marketing Mahatma Gandhi's images without
authorization of the actual copyright owner.
Our audio visual content has been digitized with greatest care. Therefore, we guarantee best possible quality.
Research
We have an ongoing programme of copyright research, in collaboration with a variety of other
organizations. This is to ensure that the rights information on works in our collections,
maintained on our copyright database in our online archives, is accurate and up-to-date.
Copyright and Mahatma Gandhi's photographs
As per the
Berne Convention images of Mahatma Gandhi are copyright protected in most countries, depending
of the Copyright Law of the respective country (e.g. USA: 70 years after the death of the photographer).
Any use of those images without the specific permission of the copyright owner or its representative forms an infringement of copyright.
Similarly, the Berne Convention also applies on other media such as documents, audio and video content.
These countries have signed the Berne Convention.
Infringement of copyright
Publishers who used images or other material represented by GandhiServe without
GandhiServe's permission pay the regular licensing fee, provided they contact
GandhiServe before GandhiServe detects the copyright infringement
and contacts them. If the copyright infringement has been detected by GandhiServe
the retroactive licensing fee is 5 times the regular licensing fee. If legal steps are
required the fine for unauthorized use of images or other copyrighted material normally is 5 to 10 times the regular licensing fee.
For questions contact mail at gandhimail dot org
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