to about KS & KSC
Copyright Issues
It has become common on the Internet for individuals to download and use the creative works of others without the original author's permission. Graphic images are often placed on homepages without regard to who actually created the image. We at Kids' Space have observed this trend and feel that the issue warrants discussion. Unfortunately the current level of web technology is such that artistic creations on the World Wide Web are virtually unprotected from use by others.
Copyright infringement is disturbing, and we believe it is important for kids and adults alike to understand the reasons why such activities are harmful to the future of the World Wide Web. Unauthorized use of copyrighted materials discourages artists and other creative people from using the Internet as a place to present their creative works.
In the summer of 1995, for example, an association of new artists in New York considered using the Internet to display their work but declined to do so because of this copyright issue.
Recent attempts have been made to protect creators' rights on the Internet, and some of these efforts have become available on various server computers. It is apparent that others will join these efforts in the near future, and it is possible that regulations concerning copyright protection on the World Wide Web will be realized as new technology evolves.
If Kids' Space were to allow young users to freely download images, we are concerned that such an action would prevent them from learning an important lesson. Schools do a good job of teaching children the need to respect the written words of others in their own writing. We feel that this respect needs to be emphasized in the digital community as well. Therefore, under the following conditions, Kids' Space will allow young users to utilize a limited number of our image files:
- Kids' Space and Kids' Space Connection have made available "Seals" and their corresponding URL's at: We'd like users to understand that we are happy to distribute the image files available on our Seals page, but our other images are for Kids' Space and KS-Connection use only--these images are what gives KS and KSC it's own special character and were not created as free products.
- KS and KSC seals are not to be downloaded but are to be used in a homepage with referenced link(s) to the sites. All necessary reference information (including example HTML coding) is available on the seals.html page.
- Homepages that use KS or KSC seals should state a copyright notice on the page(s) in which the seals appear. Here is an example of an appropriate copyright notice: "Image files (specify the file names/descriptions of images here) are created by ks-connection.org and MNM, copyright 1997-1999. All rights reserved."
- Reproduction and modification of KS and KSC image files is prohibited.
In today's transitional period of growth in networking technologies, we believe that these conditions serve to protect creative works, to prepare the way for the emergence of new copyright protection laws and technologies, and to accustom young users to the proper manner of recognizing the works of others. At Kids' Space we trust kids, and we feel that it is only appropriate that they be at the forefront of making the Internet a strong, positive forum for communication.
- Artists:
- Original pictures at KS and KSC: Sachiko Oba, New York USA
- 3D conversion and new pictures at KSC: Naoki Matsui (MNM), Osaka Japan
