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In the EU, it is illegal to copy a database of another entity even if it contains factual information (you can copy individual facts, but not a DB). Source: I realized that when I wondered if it was possible to copy names from Wikipedia into OpenStreetmap. The Wikimedia foundation ("owner" of the DB) is unlikely to sue OSM.

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Wikipedia data is available under a choice of open licenses: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Reusing_Wikipedia_co... They're unlikely to sue because 1. They don't want to, making information freely available is kinda their thing, and 2. They'd lose.

The ODbL license is not compatible with the Creative Commons license. (1) I know about their goal, and I also know that they are eager to collaborate with OpenStreeMap. So they would the sue. (2) I think it is the Database Directive of the EU which protects the databases, even if it is made of factual information.

To be more specific about my case, I wanted to import into OpenStreetMap the latin names ("romaji") of places from Wikipédia. But I had to check if it was allowed around the world. I read that in Australia it is not a problem, but it is hard to know about the rest of the world.

Sometimes. Apparently it's not actually enforced fully in all of the countries? And it's a pretty new law.

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