I too appreciate the way images and videos are handled on this site, I like to know where they came from, I do look at that, so the attribution and careful curation is basic CYA.

You don’t even have to publish anything if you violate private property. How do I know? My first career was as a videographer and sometimes news photographer for a TV station. They decided to do a story about what were basically hobos who had an encampment near train tracks. Reporter and I went out and interviewed people there while we were standing along the side of the tracks.

A slow moving train just happened to come by (made a great shot), and we then wrapped up and went back to the station, thinking we had some great stuff. We didn’t even make it to the edit bay at the station before a VP called us urgently to his office.

A railroad special agent, in full uniform, and what might have been an attorney for the railroad, were there to arrest us both for trespassing on railroad property. Apparently a brakeman on the passing train saw us and the logo on the side of my camera and reported it. VP told us to head out the back of the station and get the hell out of there, but first wanted all my footage. I argued but basically was told to give it up or go to jail. I gave it up and we both got out fast.

The VP then told them we were not at the station, and then negotiated that they drop arresting us (they wanted our home addresses), and the station agreed to give the footage to them and not do the story.

Some companies take their property rights very very seriously.