Use of SMF Logo

[ForumDog]

Hello!

Is it possible to get permission, if it doesn't exist by default, to use the SMF logo to advertise a forum section devoted to SMF forums on a forum of my own? I notice you're terrific about people making banners using SMF material but it's not quite the same thing...

Thank you!

[ryanbsoftware]

I am not a lawyer so don't quote me on this but i would belive you could under fair use in the form of a comment on your opinion of SMF. At least according to my interpretation of US Law.  Title 17, Circular 92, Chapter 1, Section 107 of The United States Code states, "Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 106 and 106A, the fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phonorecords or by any other means specified by that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright..."   If you would rather post more of an advertisment I am not quite sure if that would fit fair use and i would then wait for permission if I were you even though I would image for a use such as you are describing they would be happy to grant you permission, or at least I would if i owned the copyright.

[ForumDog]

I am fairly sure that logos are not included in that spec because they are used for identification, rather than as bodies of copyrighted works in their independent right. i.e. use of a logo implies association. But then there's always the wonderful "X is not endorsed by X" disclaimer.

At any rate as you pointed out yourself, it's a sad old world if advertising someone is more difficult than discussing them - possibly negatively - in a freeform way. With any luck they'll get a few new users out of it so it's all good either way.

Ta for your input, I'll await something concrete.

[Amacythe]

You may use our banner or logo.