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cimoreneDear writers of RPS:
The disclaimer that you don't own the characters, while factually true in the case of the real people you are writing about, is intended for FPS - in other words, for fandoms where there could be some question of copyright infringement. It's an odd-sounding disclaimer for a fandom where there is no question of ownership, since real people generally are not owned. The traditional disclaimer for RPS which you are looking for is that the story is not true and that you aren't connected with the real people in question; it is intended to head off accusations of libel and problems with readers who might have a hard time with the difference between fact and fiction, both of which problems are far more likely to occur with RPS than a suit for copyright infringement would be. Disclaiming that you don't own a celebrity makes just as little sense as disclaiming that your fluffy story in which Homer Simpson and Darth Vader adopt a hamster together is not true.
Thanks for your attention to this matter,
cim
The disclaimer that you don't own the characters, while factually true in the case of the real people you are writing about, is intended for FPS - in other words, for fandoms where there could be some question of copyright infringement. It's an odd-sounding disclaimer for a fandom where there is no question of ownership, since real people generally are not owned. The traditional disclaimer for RPS which you are looking for is that the story is not true and that you aren't connected with the real people in question; it is intended to head off accusations of libel and problems with readers who might have a hard time with the difference between fact and fiction, both of which problems are far more likely to occur with RPS than a suit for copyright infringement would be. Disclaiming that you don't own a celebrity makes just as little sense as disclaiming that your fluffy story in which Homer Simpson and Darth Vader adopt a hamster together is not true.
Thanks for your attention to this matter,
cim
