Fanverse:Copyrights

This is a Fanverse Wiki policy. It is a widely accepted standard that all editors should normally follow. Significant changes to this page should reflect community consensus.

Notice: This page outlines the copyright, originality, and attribution policies of Fanverse Wiki. It is primarily designed to prevent theft or misuse of other users’ fanon creations, not real-world IP infringement.

Fanverse Wiki operates as a collaborative space for original content creators. While many articles CAN be inspired by real-world franchises (such as Marvel, DC, or Star Wars), the focus here is on user-generated lore, characters, timelines, and story concepts that build a fictional multiverse distinct from any single intellectual property.

This policy exists to protect fan-created material within the Fanverse itself—not to restrict homage, parody, or universe borrowing from established IPs.

Core principles

• Fanverse encourages collaborative fanon building, alternate universes, and reimaginings.
• Real-world IP references (e.g. Spider-Man, X-Men) are allowed as springboards for original narratives.
• What is protected under this policy is not Marvel or DC content—but your work.
• Stealing, duplicating, or reuploading other users’ content without credit is strictly prohibited.

What is considered “fanverse copyright violation”?

On this wiki, copyright violations refer specifically to **user-to-user theft**, including:

• Copying another user’s original fanon characters, plots, organizations, or settings without permission.
• Reposting entire lore pages, storylines, or templates created by others under your own name.
• Mirroring someone's fan-made universe, then changing names while retaining identical themes, language, and ideas.
• Importing large sections of someone else's writing (bios, story chapters, scripts, etc.) into your own articles with no attribution.

This includes:

• Fictional timelines
• Original films or show concepts
• Character biographies
• Organizations, power systems, or alternate canon events
• Custom infoboxes, navboxes, or templates made by other editors

What is *not* a violation

The following are not considered copyright violations under Fanverse rules:

• Using real-world franchise elements as inspiration (e.g. writing your own take on mutants, Kryptonians, Jedi, etc.)
• Borrowing basic concepts that are genre-standard (e.g. “a dark multiverse”, “a speedster war”, “alien technology”)
• Referencing other user pages with proper credit or cross-links
• Quoting another user’s fanon with attribution and context
• Collaborating with another creator and building upon their ideas with permission

How to credit properly

Always provide attribution if you're borrowing, remixing, or continuing someone else's fanon concept. You can do this by:

• Adding a visible note at the top or bottom of your page:

 This article is based in part on concepts originally created by [[User:Example]]. Used with permission.

• Including a references section if you expand or adapt narrative frameworks or timelines from another user.
• Using {{Fanon credit}} or a similar custom template (if created) to flag borrowed contributions.
• Linking to the original page in an edit summary when using portions of another article.

Consequences of violation

The Fanverse community expects respect for individual creative effort. Violators of this policy may face:

• A warning on their user talk page
• Reversion or deletion of the plagiarized content
• Locking of pages to prevent further misuse
• Temporary or permanent account blocks in repeat or egregious cases

All moderation actions will be documented transparently.

Reporting copyright abuse

To report misuse of your original content:

1. Contact the user privately (if you're comfortable) to clarify the issue.
2. If unresolved, raise a topic at Fanverse Wiki:Moderation board with specific diffs and examples.
3. Include links to both your original and the copied page, with any notes or history.

Admins will evaluate the situation and issue guidance or action based on severity.

Collaboration vs. theft

The line between collaboration and appropriation is simple:

> Did you build this idea with them, credit them, or get their blessing? > Or did you take it, rename it, and pretend it was yours?

Fanverse thrives when ideas flow—but respect is required. Stealing ideas without credit hurts the ecosystem, discourages creativity, and breaks trust.

Ownership of shared canon

If a group of users builds a shared timeline or universe together (e.g., a custom Earth designation or multiverse cluster), contributions may be co-owned. In these cases:

• Major edits or spin-offs should be discussed before being posted.
• Subpages should reference the originating timeline or universe group.
• If a user leaves the project, their work remains unless otherwise agreed.

Real-world IP considerations

Fanverse is a transformative and fictional project. We acknowledge that elements of real-world franchises appear in our articles under the principles of:

• Fair use
• Parody
• Fan reinterpretation
• Tribute works

We do not claim ownership over Marvel, DC, Star Wars, or any real-world property referenced here.

Summary

Fanverse Wiki protects fan creators—from each other. This isn’t about stopping references to Spider-Man or Magneto. It’s about ensuring:

• No one steals your original film concept and calls it their own.
• No one rewrites your character bios and posts them without credit.
• No one copies your timeline events and slaps a new Earth number on it.

Credit builds culture. Theft kills it.

See also

• Fanverse Wiki:Manual of Style
• Fanverse Wiki:Content policy
• Fanverse Wiki:Attribution guide
• Fanverse Wiki:Moderation board
• Fanverse Wiki:Stub policy