Is GPS data copyrighted?

Question

I'm making a website to collect and display bike routes around the world. I will be importing other people's GPS data without permission. I will only be displaying points (lat, lng) from the GPS files on my own map. Does this infringe on the of the GPS creator's copyright?

Answer 1

No.

Answer 2

Yes absolutely. Any document (including a description of a route) is automaticaly coprighted (in the US) as soon as it is created. The actual location of the route is not copyrighted but the description (even if it is just a list of coordinates) of it is.
Marking the copyright on the document and registering it with the government are optional but confer additional rights to the creator to receive monetary damages.

In the past (and probably still is the case), map companies (just a large number of routes) would add small nonexistant streets that wouldn't cause a problem in their maps. If they suspected another person of copying them, they could look for the tell tale error and pretty much had automaticaly won the case in court.

However, most people who are documenting trails for their use will probably be amenable to giving you permission to use their tracks. Offer them a link from your web site and posted credit for their work.

You may find that they will even consider it worth adding notes and updates to the informtion before you post it.

If the tracks you want to use come from a commercial product or site, then expect that they will ask you for some money to use the information. In that case, you could try to find someone to independantly create the information for you, then they can give you permission to their work.

Answer 3

You cannot copyright a fact.