Cdc Images Can Only Be Used with Their Logo Removed

[evident]

On CDC.gov it says all CDC web site materials are public domain, except that the CDC logo may not be used without trademark licensing agreement.

CDC publishes many posters/flyers and video (on youtube). They all have the CDC logo embedded. So in order to use these materials in my web site or video, I have to remove their logos?

[adjusterjack]

On CDC.gov it says all CDC web site materials are public domain, except that the CDC logo may not be used without trademark licensing agreement.

You have taken that sentence out of context and it's obviously not a word for word quotation.

Provide a link to that limitation if you want comments on what it actually says.

[evident]

https://www.cdc.gov/media/subtopic/q...ls-copyrighted

Under the words "Digital Rights":

Are CDC materials on the web copyrighted?

CDC materials available on the web site are in the public domain (free of copyright restrictions) unless otherwise noted. The CDC logo is NOT in the public domain and may not be used without a trademark licensing agreement.

Examples of CDC materials I have in mind:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019...ple15to17.html
Scroll down and look at the "Posters". They are PDF file with CDC logo.

[adjusterjack]

I'm no expert but I think it means that you can't use the CDC logo by itself. For example, you have a company name with the initials CDC, you cannot use the design for your logo.

Reproducing the posters, on the other hand, could raise a copyright issue whether you remove the logo or not.

For what purpose do you want to use the posters?

[evident]

I'm producing a video interview with a doctor who talks about covid 19. I want to use some of the CDC posters as illustrations.

Why might using the posters raise copyright issue, if those materials are public domain?

What you said about the logo makes sense. But should I follow what makes sense and leave the CDC logo in the poster, or should I follow what is written literally and delete the logo from the poster?

What's even more confusing, is I found this in another part of the CDC.gov:
https://www.cdc.gov/other/agencymaterials.html
In this page, it first says

Most of the information on the CDC and ATSDR websites is not subject to copyright, is in the public domain, and may be freely used or reproduced without obtaining copyright permission.

Then a few lines below, it says "following requirements must be followed to utilize CDC's public domain content" and list several requirements (e.g. attribution). But doesn't "public domain" by definition means no strings attached and no attribution required? How could they tell you it's public domain and then attach some strings?

[adjusterjack]

I'm producing a video interview with a doctor who talks about covid 19. I want to use some of the CDC posters as illustrations.

Are you going to post the video as a public service or do you expect to make money from it?

Then a few lines below, it says "following requirements must be followed to utilize CDC's public domain content" and list several requirements (e.g. attribution). But doesn't "public domain" by definition means no strings attached and no attribution required? How could they tell you it's public domain and then attach some strings?

The first link you provided says:

CDC materials available on the web site are in the public domain (free of copyright restrictions) unless otherwise noted.

The second link that "attaches strings" is the "unless otherwise noted."

In other words, you can use the material if you follow the instruction.

If you aren't sure, feel free to contact the CDC, explain what you want to do with the material and find out if it's OK.

[pg1067]

As an agency of the federal government, the CDC cannot, by law, own copyrights in materials it creates. It can, however, own trademarks. If you are not using the logo in a way that would create confusion about the source of the material or sponsorship by the CDC, then that wouldn't infringe the trademark.