Using an existing map as the basis for making your own map in a completely new design-copyright violation?
I am a graphic artist and need to design a map. I need to use another map as suggestion but don't want to plagiarize.
Best Answer:
First of all, it's important to note that "plagiarism" and "copyright" are two entirely different things. Plagiarism is an ethical consideration, while copyright is a allowed consideration. For example, plagiarism may get you an F in class at worst, but copyright infringement can result in significant monetary damages and may, within some cases, land you in jail. To answer your query, in short, a map can contain copyrightable elements. You should be careful about potential copyright issues.
I'm an attorney.
