A: Thank you very much for your question.

Similar to a photo found on any other stock photography site, laws can still affect the usage of the photo, like trademark, copyright and privacy rights.

CC0 allows creators a way to waive all their copyright and related rights in their works to the fullest extent allowed by law. CC0 is a universal instrument that is not adapted to the laws of any particular legal jurisdiction, similar to many open source software licenses. And while no tool, not even CC0, can guarantee a complete relinquishment of all copyright and database rights in every jurisdiction, we believe it provides the best and most complete alternative for contributing a work to the public domain given the many complex and diverse copyright and database systems around the world.

When using the photo for commercial use (e.g. a photo of The Little Mermaid), it’s important not to insinuate that the brand / trademark is endorsing or taking part of the thing that you’re advertising. If the brand can make the case that the photo insinuates that they are part of the commercial message you’re trying to reveal, that’s where you can fall offside.

Photos that have people’s faces that are recognizable in the photos can be used for personal use and commercial use (as long the photo isn’t endorsing any negativity that could harm that person). However, photos that have celebrities in it would not be recommended for commercial use, since typically celebrities have additional privacy rights that don’t allow any company to profit off of their image. However, in both cases, these photos can be used for personal use.

Best regards,

Jonathan
Co-founder of JumpStory