eBook Publishing question

[TheAppHut]

Hi I am nearing the completetion stages of my first ebook and just had a few questions. In the eBook I use data from a few research studies, conducted by a few companies. What I want to know is am i allowed to use the graphs that they used to accompy the data if i reference them? Like whats the legality on that sort of thing?
Regards,
Harry

[Marseille]

Originally Posted by TheAppHut

Hi I am nearing the completetion stages of my first ebook and just had a few questions. In the eBook I use data from a few research studies, conducted by a few companies. What I want to know is am i allowed to use the graphs that they used to accompy the data if i reference them? Like whats the legality on that sort of thing?
Regards,
Harry

Asking strangers on a forum whether or not you're allowed to use unknown assets from unknown companies' unknown studies in your work of unknown type is like asking us if you can borrow your neighbor's car.

Before reaching for something like fair use (I suspect this might be what you're wondering about), have you reviewed these companies' own terms, either included in the studies accompanying material, on their websites or by actually contacting them? They might welcome 3rd parties publicizing their material and have very open terms.

[crich70]

Good point. If the information is freely accessible public knowledge I'd guess it would also be easier than if it's something that you had to apply for permission to even see in the 1st place. And how much of published material you can use also depends on how much there is to begin with. Still, I think David Marseilles is right. Far better to make inquires of the company than to assume it's fair use and have someone bring suit against you if it turns out that it isn't available for anyone to use. Fan fics are a good example I think. Some authors don't mind and others do, and there have been some issues sometimes as a result. Best to ask and be told there isn't a problem than to assume and find yourself in trouble.

[cromag]

Regardless of whether the data is publicly available, any graphs would represent original expression and would almost certainly not be available for your use without permission.

Intellectual property law is a minefield, and there is no substitute for reputable legal advice.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by cromag

Regardless of whether the data is publicly available, any graphs would represent original expression and would almost certainly not be available for your use without permission.

Intellectual property law is a minefield, and there is no substitute for reputable legal advice.

This.

You need permission to use someone else's work, particularly something like Tables, Graphs, Images.

Unless of course it is in the public domain.

[crich70]

Originally Posted by kennyc

This.

You need permission to use someone else's work, particularly something like Tables, Graphs, Images.

Unless of course it is in the public domain.

True. In my earlier post I meant that some information is easier to access in the 1st place than others. For example McDonalds has signs up that read X Million served, but Amazon doesn't reveal how many Kindles they have sold as opposed to how many returns they get. And some information is public record while other information requires the person making the inquiry to submit requests for permission to even view it, much less publish about it. Sometimes it depends on who published the material in the first place too. For example round WWII cartoons starring Private Snafu were made by the armed services. Since they were made by animators working for the government they (like other training films) were considered public domain from the start, while movies made in Hollywood at that time were still owned by the studios that made them. I imagine it can be complex to get permissions to use data in a non fiction book if the company from which it came has changed hands via sale or merger too. I mean in such a case who do you ask permission from? The original company? The company that bought them out? That's why it sometimes takes so long for older movies to come to DVD. The film is sometimes sold to another company who may then decide to resell it to another or they may merge with another company who then has the rights to it, and so on.

[kennyc]

I think that's what I said....just not so many words.