CONTENT COPYRIGHT AND USAGE RIGHTS

ABWE is a global mission thought leader and resource hub with many gifted and talented employees and volunteers who have great knowledge, skills, and talents to share with the Body of Christ. To support its mission, ABWE frequently uses creative works by staff, volunteers, and third-party contractors to communicate to members, churches, donors and the general public.

The word “Works” here within includes photographic images, musical works (including lyrics, composition and recording), illustrations, written works, multimedia, audio and video works. The agreement grants permission for ABWE to use the Works, referred to as “License”.

Regarding Works Created by ABWE Staff, Volunteers, and/or Third-Party Contractors

1) The License 

The Staff, Volunteer, and/or Third-Party Contractor (referred to simply as “Contributor”) hereby grants to ABWE an irrevocable, fully paid up, unlimited, perpetual, non-exclusive, sub-licensable, world-wide right to exercise any and all rights in the Works that are owned or could be owned by the Contributor under the United States Copyright Act, including, but not limited to, the right to reproduce, display, distribute, perform and transmit the Works throughout the world, in any media now known or later developed, and to create derivative works from the Works. For works that fall under foreign copyright laws, this license grants rights equivalent to those that exist under U.S. laws to the greatest extent possible. 

This license lasts for the life of the copyright, is binding on Contributor’s heirs and assigns, and includes the right of ABWE to sublicense the above rights to certain third-parties, including but not limited to supporting churches who share in its mission, and to further sublicense to vendors and others as needed for ABWE to utilize its license in support of its work. 

The Contributor retains the copyright and the exclusive rights under the Copyright Act (or foreign law if applicable), subject to the License and to the restrictions outlined below. 

This License applies to all Works created on assignment for ABWE and it also includes all Works that the Contributor or the Contributor’s authorized representative transmits or distributes to ABWE, ABWE’s representatives or ABWE’s employees with the intention of sharing for ABWE’s use, regardless of whether those Works are created on assignment. The License is in exchange for participating in ABWE’s volunteer program and other ABWE-related programs, and for the benefit of furthering ABWE’s mission, which the Contributor agrees has value. 

For third-party usage requests that are not related to the furtherance of ABWE’s mission, ABWE will refer any third-party requests to use the Works to the Contributor. If such a request comes after the Contributor has passed away, permission will be sought from the Contributor’s heirs. Contributor agrees that if the Contributor or the Contributor’s heirs cannot be located after a reasonable search, ABWE may authorize third party use. 

If the Contributor obtains any model releases or photo releases in relation to the Works, the Contributor agrees to share with and hereby non-exclusively grants to ABWE any and all transferrable, sublicensable or assignable rights in those releases. Contributor further agrees to provide ABWE with copies of any releases obtained in relation to the Works and to execute any documents necessary to facilitate the intent and spirit of this paragraph. ABWE can provide Contributor with a standard model release to use for assignments. 

The Contributor warrants that the Works contributed to ABWE were or will be created by the Contributor, and no other entity has exclusive rights under copyright law to any of the Works. 

The Contributor further irrevocably consents to the use of his/her name, and/or likeness by ABWE in any and all media, in connection with the Works, or otherwise. 

Regarding Usage of the Works

1) By Contributor

The Contributor agrees to not transfer the copyright to the Works or engage in any exclusive licensing agreements or other agreements in a manner that would encroach, encumber, or interfere with ABWE’s right to exercise its License to the Works. 

1a) Sensitive Operations: When working in sensitive parts of the world where the safety and security of ABWE’s missionaries and operations are a concern, the Contributor agrees to work with ABWE headquarters to learn about both metadata and social media safety and to 1) take steps to remove metadata that could threaten the safety of ABWE and its employees and 2) limit distribution of Works and their metadata, including by limiting social media postings or other communications that could threaten the safety and security of ABWE’s missionaries and/or operations. 

1b) Vulnerable Individuals: The work of ABWE and its missionaries can involve individuals of all ages, physical and mental abilities, and legal status including children, residents in oppressive countries, elderly, people with serious illness, refugees, and people who are otherwise at risk, oppressed, or vulnerable (“Vulnerable Individuals”). For Works created on assignment or when acting as a volunteer for ABWE, the Contributor agrees that he or she will not use—or permit others to use—the Works in ways that defames, disparages, or is derogatory, demeaning or abusive to individuals depicted in the Works or to ABWE. The Contributor further agrees that he or she will not allow the Works to be used in a manner that would cast ABWE in a bad light or threaten the safety and security of Vulnerable Individuals, ABWE’s missionaries and/or operations. 

2) By Other Users

Other Users, defined as those who are not the Contributor or an ABWE representative, are granted a perpetual, non-exclusive, worldwide, unlimited license to use the Works by ABWE that does not fall under restricted uses as outlined below. Other users will make every reasonable effort to indicate copyright to ABWE and the Contributor.

Restricted Uses

1. No Unlawful Use. Other Users may not use any of the Works or parts of the Works in a pornographic, defamatory, or other unlawful manner or promote values and ideas contrary or in opposition to the mission and core values of ABWE.
2. No Commercial Use. Works may not be used for commercial, promotional, advertising, or gambling/gaming, or merchandising purposes. Works may be used by ABWE missionaries to promote their ministries and fields for the purposes of increasing awareness and to help elicit donations and supporters of their ministries.
3. No Use in Trademark or Logo. Other Users may not use any of the Works in a trademark or logo of any personal business or ministry.
4. No Standalone File Use. Other Users may not allow others to download, extract, or redistribute single files separate from project use.
5. False Representation of Authorship. Other Users may not falsely represent or claim authorship of Works.
6. No Machine Learning, AI or Biometric Technology Use. Other Users may not use content (including any caption information, keywords or other metadata associated with the content) for any machine learning or artificial intelligence purposes, or for any technologies designed for or intended for the identification of natural persons. Additionally, ABWE does not represent or warrant that consent has been obtained for such uses with respect to model-released content.
7. No Sensitive Operations. Works may not be used in ways that defames, disparages, or is derogatory, demeaning or abusive to individuals depicted in the Works or to ABWE. Other Users are not allowed to use the Works in a manner that would cast ABWE in a bad light or threaten the safety and security of Vulnerable Individuals, ABWE’s missionaries and/or operations. 
8. No Vulnerable Individuals. Works can involve individuals of all ages, physical and mental abilities, and legal status including children, residents in oppressive countries, elderly, people with serious illness, refugees, and people who are otherwise at risk, oppressed, or vulnerable (“Vulnerable Individuals”). Works may not be used in ways that defames, disparages, or is derogatory, demeaning or abusive to individuals depicted in the Works or to ABWE. Other Users are not allowed to use the Works in a manner that would cast ABWE in a bad light or threaten the safety and security of Vulnerable Individuals, ABWE’s missionaries and/or operations. 

Usage rights given to Other Users are non-transferable and non-sublicensable.

Any failure of the Contributor or Other User to abide by any of these rules has no impact on ABWE’s irrevocable license.

This policy shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.

Any disputes arising under or relating to this policy shall be resolved through mandatory binding arbitration in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association, with arbitration taking place in Pennsylvania.