Pictures and copyright
For pictures used in teaching and in written assignments at DTU our agreement with Copydan VISDA applies (only available in English). This means that you as a teacher or a student may freely use pictures inside at DTU in connection with teaching, presentations, assignments etc.
If you want to use pictures outside DTU, the rights must be cleared with the rights holder before use or be available under an open license.
Special points of awareness
- In a PhD thesis, the rights to pictures must be cleared as if they were for commercial use – you need to obtain the rights holder’s permission to use the pictures.
- In a bachelor or master thesis, the Copydan agreement only applies if the thesis is not published. If the thesis is published, you need to clear the rights.
- In slides used outside DTU (at conferences, external teaching and the like), the rights must be cleared with the rights holder before use or be available under an open license.
- In posters used outside DTU, the use of pictures must be cleared with the rights holder before use or be available under an open license.
Always remember to indicate the source of the pictures you use. This is the case no matter whether the pictures are comprised by DTU's Copydan agreement or whether you have cleared the rights with the rights holder. Below you can see an example of how you can do it.
As a minimum you should write where you have found the picture, either a text source or an url. It is a good idea to write which agreement or license (copyright information) that entitles the use of the picture.
As a minimum you should write where you have found the picture, either a text source or an url. It is a good idea to write which agreement or license (copyright information) that entitles the use of the picture.
The short answer is yes.
Pictures are protected by copyright, and, as a rule, it requires the author’s permission to use a picture.
Graphs will, as a rule, not be considered fulfilling the creativity requirement which is necessary to obtain copyright protection. Graphs can therefore be used freely with due respect of any licenses and good scientific conduct at DTU.
Tables are, as a rule, not protected by copyright. Tables can be considered as text but will rarely be protected by copyright. Nevertheless, very complex data sets can be protected in other ways – for instance according to the GDPR rules. In these cases, data can be used in accordance with the code of conduct and in accordance with the rules applying to the data sets – for instance about confidentiality, GDPR or creative commons conditions. In all cases, it is important with an indication of the source or acknowledgement in accordance with good conduct.
Figures in the form of a technical drawing or other drawings can be used freely in your ordinary teaching as such drawings are comprised by the Copydan agreement.
If you want to use a figure in the form of a technical drawing or other drawings in your articles, such drawings cannot be used freely. The use of figures in the form of technical drawings requires that you comply with the rules on quotation. The use of figures in the form of other drawings requires that you obtain permission from the author.
Do you need a picture with people?
You must consider whether you have the right to use such a picture from a personal data perspective.
Our colleagues from the GDPR team have created this guideline (only available in Danish): brug af billeder ud fra en GDPR-vinkel.