However, many visitors to my world take screenshots or record videos, and often share or promote these images and videos on the internet.
In those cases, the images or videos taken by users do not always include visible attribution themselves.
Here is my question:
As the creator, I display the required attribution properly.
But if a visitor takes a screenshot or records a video in my world and shares it, do they also need to add attribution to every image or video they share?
Or is it sufficient if attribution appears in the world itself and its description?
If there are any official guidelines or best practices for situations like this—especially for VR worlds, streaming, or sharing screenshots from games that use OSM data—I would really appreciate any advice or references.
Thank you very much!
P.S.
I am Japanese and used AI to help write this in English, so I apologize if there are any mistakes.
Unfortunately, this question is somewhat tricky to answer as a legal layperson.
In general, images created from OSM data do require attribution. Whether someone uses a tool to directly generate images OSM data, or instead produces the images by taking a screenshot of a 3d scene generated from OSM data, should not make a legal difference.
So the only reason I see why attribution might not be required is that this use could, at least sometimes, not be “substantial”. See the Substantial Guideline for some of the OSMF’s thinking on this. If “the features relating to an area of up to 1,000 inhabitants” can be insubstantial, perhaps a screenshot of a small part of a virtual world could likewise be insubstantial?
In any case: Even if your users have to provide attribution, you aren’t responsible for the actions of your users. You only need to fulfill your own attribution obligations.
Thank you for your message!
I’ve attached some screenshots.
Here’s the URL to my world:
I created a VRChat world showing a night view from the mountains using OSM 3D data.
The world description (in Japanese) and signs inside the world both credit OSM.
At the entrance, there’s also a notice (in Japanese) asking people to give credit if they post photos or stream from the world. Visitors need to agree to this before entering.
The world I created is a night view scene, and it shows a wide view of a town from a distance. I think the area probably has more than 1,000 inhabitants, so it would be considered a “substantial” use.
Therefore, I believe attribution is required in this case.
I plan to place a sign at the entrance requesting attribution, and also require visitors to agree before entering the world.
Thank you very much for your detailed explanation and advice.
Looks amazing!
How did you create a world by OSM data? What tools, languages? Is it open source or may I see it?
Hard to try your World: I have to install VRChat after Steam after Roseta for Mac.
No, VRChat doesn’t run in the Arm Mac.
I will try it in my Meta Quest 1 …
Note that you are not actually responsible for downstream attribution. If your users make a screenshot and then publicly use it it is their responsibility (as @Tordanik points out the only way around it is if the extract is not substantial).
So it is less a legal question, but more one of customer friendliness.
