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I have an image that I found on another site. It's just a one pixle wide stripe, and I'm wondering if it's protected by copyright.

One pixel wide stripe

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Post a link to it, and we can decide for you what's acceptable. If it's a gradient or something, should be fine to use. Vectors may or may not be copyrighted, but most certainly any photographs are. – ionFish Jun 21 '12 at 16:49
@ionFish updated question – fxuser Jun 21 '12 at 17:05
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Yeah, I see no possible way someone can copyright a stripe. You should be able to use it no questions asked. You could even change the color by two shades if you're paranoid. – ionFish Jun 21 '12 at 17:58
haha thanks @ionFish – fxuser Jun 21 '12 at 18:05
Please close the question by selecting an answer. – ionFish Jun 21 '12 at 18:28

1 Answer

up vote 3 down vote accepted

That image can't be copyrighted. In order for something to be copyrighted, it has to be an "original work", or be something like a book or an image that required creativity, imagination, etc. to create. A stripe can be created by anyone, without even thinking about it, so it does not fall under copyright restrictions.

Semi related: if you are going to try to use an actual picture as a background, one that is protected by copyright (see above), you should make sure that your allowed to do so.

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but in my case there isn't any problem, correct? – fxuser Jun 21 '12 at 19:15
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@fxuser you will have absolutely no problem with using that image. – Christofian Jun 21 '12 at 19:35

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