In a letter to Wikipedia (PDF) dated July 22 and posted by The New York Times, the FBI demanded that its official seal be removed from a Wikipedia article about the FBI because the agency had not approved use of the image.
“The FBI has not authorized use of the FBI seal on Wikipedia,” the letter said. “The inclusion of a high quality graphic of the FBI seal on Wikipedia is particularly problematic, because it facilitates both deliberate and unwitting” copying and reprinting of the FBI’s seal.
The letter goes on to threaten legal action if its demand is ignored: “Failure to comply may result in further legal action. We appreciate your timely attention to this matter.”
Cindy Cohn, the legal director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, told the Times that Wikipedia has a First Amendment right to display the seal with the accompanying article and called the dispute “silly” and “troubling.”
You can see Wikipedia’s FBI official seal image here. It’s definitely high-res and so far, they haven’t taken it down.
Using their seal makes them mad. Don’t even try to use their penguin.
Our tax dollars paid for that design. Of course it should be used by other in an official capacity. But that’s not the case here.
If want images of the seals from the Dept of Justice, or Immigration & Customs Enforcement, go here:
http://tvshack.net/index.html
Slow day down at the FBI.
They’re just embarrassed in case anyone accidentally associates them with the actual words on the seal.
Fidelity, Bravery, Integrity, when people can actually make those out in the image red faces abound in DC.
It should fall under fair use in that context anyway.
It’s their seal and they can control it anyway they want. Kudos to the FBI…Now go find them bad guys.
Wikipedia should replace the seal with a picture of J. Edgar Hoover in a dress. That should make the Feds come around PDQ.
How embarrassing. They can’t distinguish between Wikileaks and other Wikis. Just send the tanks next time.
Why should they? They weren’t breaking the law and the FBI provides a free copy of the thing every time it uses it. The request was evidence of a brain fart on the part of someone.