Constant Content

I would like clarification on what editors can change to an article when they purchase "use" license.
Can they add their own images?
Can they delete images that were embedded into the article by the author?
Can they add to the title?
Can they add paragraphs within the article?
Can they re-arrange the article?
Can they remove some of the content of the article?
Can they use the article in print and on the web?
Can they host the article on different domains?

I appreciate and welcome these clarifications.

It's my understanding that a usage license can't be changed. However, some of your thoughts are a bit gray. For example, I'm not sure that adding images to an article would be a violation of the license. Below are my unofficial thoughts:

Can they add their own images? - I think probably yes.

Can they delete images that were embedded into the article by the author? - Not sure.

Can they add to the title? - I don't think so.

Can they add paragraphs within the article? - I don't think so. If a customer wants to do that, he needs to buy full rights.

Can they re-arrange the article? - I don't think so. A customer paying a usage license is not allowed to edit the article.

Can they remove some of the content of the article? - Same thing. If a customer needs to delete some of the content, the customer nees to buy full rights.

Can they use the article in print and on the web? If the customer uses it ONCE, it doesn't matter if its in print or online. Any additional uses of the article requires the purchase of an additional usage license - or full rights.

Can they host the article on different domains? - Same as above. If the customer wants to host the article on URL 1, fine. If he wants to also add it to URL 2, then he needs to buy another license or go for full rights.

Can they use the article in print and on the web?

While the technical answer is no, the reality is that many articles purchased for usage are posted on sites which redistribute the article in its entirety or in part on other sites. Many courts will look at a usage license for writing the same as a usage license for music. Once you've purchased it, you can use it wherever you want as long as you're not redistributing or selling it. This also applies to the question about domains.

You could complain to the hosting company where the article appears, but another question is where was it originally posted? Are all the sites it's posted on owned by the same parent company who purchased its usage? Usage is that gray area, which is why you need to evaluate the price you're offering the article for. If it's a thousand word article you certainly don't want to put a usage price of ten dollars. Now if it's a five-hundred or less word article that only took you fifteen minuted to write is it worth six dollars and fifty cents (what you'd get after CC's cut) to potentially sell it multiple times?

Can they delete images that were embedded into the article by the author?

That depends... Did you embed the pictures with the consent of the original copyright holder (if so do you have a license to redistribute or resell it) - or if you're the copyright holder for the images did you sign an agreement allowing them to post the pictures? Pictures and writing is usually treated as two seperate entities when dealing with copyright issues. It's a good idea to not add photos to any article unless specifically requested to do so. Even public domain pictures aren't supposed to be resold, only reused.

The rest of your questions is pretty much a definite no.

In the scenario with the images being deleted, the author owned the copyright.

Thank you to everyone who responded. Based on the clarifications to my questions I will need to contact support. Thank you, Celeste. You are indeed correct when you said there were some gray areas.