# Question about adding scans **URL:** \ **Category:** MusicBrainz\ **Tags:** cover-art, editnotes, new-user\ **Created:** [September 25, 2020, 9:21pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/question-about-adding-scans/496477 "2020-09-25T21:21:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sam\_ZXW](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/sam_zxw/32/37189_2.png) [@Sam\_ZXW](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/Sam_ZXW)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2020, 9:21pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/question-about-adding-scans/496477/1 "2020-09-25T21:21:41Z")
Hi. I wanted to add some cover art scans to a release I just added to the site, however, the only scans I found of this specific release come from a piracy blog. Is it okay to add this images to the site? If it is, what should I write as the edit note? Should I just explain the situation? ---
**Author:** ![aerozol](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/aerozol/32/116_2.png) [@aerozol](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/aerozol)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2020, 9:48pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/question-about-adding-scans/496477/2 "2020-09-25T21:48:11Z")
Totally okay! It makes no difference where scans are from as long as they are **correct** 🙂 Yes please to adding the honest source of your images. ---
**Author:** ![IvanDobsky](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/ivandobsky/32/11785_2.png) [@IvanDobsky](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/IvanDobsky)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2020, 9:48pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/question-about-adding-scans/496477/3 "2020-09-25T21:48:12Z")
A source is a source. Quote the link, and say why it is good. Perfect source is the CD in your hands. But a website link source is also good. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_ZXW](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/sam_zxw/32/37189_2.png) [@Sam\_ZXW](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/Sam_ZXW)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2020, 9:54pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/question-about-adding-scans/496477/4 "2020-09-25T21:54:02Z")
Aren’t links with pirated content against the rules though? I don’t want to risk a sanction or something. ---
**Author:** ![Cheezmo](https://community.metabrainz.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Cheezmo](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/Cheezmo)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2020, 9:56pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/question-about-adding-scans/496477/5 "2020-09-25T21:56:13Z")
As long as you have the release in hand and can verify that the scans match visually, I think it is OK. If you don’t actually have the source to compare it to, no bueno. ---
**Author:** ![HibiscusKazeneko](https://community.metabrainz.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HibiscusKazeneko](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/HibiscusKazeneko)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2020, 10:34pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/question-about-adding-scans/496477/6 "2020-09-25T22:34:23Z")
The only issue I’d have with what you’re doing is if the images are watermarked with the name and/or logo of the site you got them from. In that case, I wouldn’t bother with them; we don’t want to be advertising piracy around here. ---
**Author:** ![sibilant](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/sibilant/32/32220_2.png) [@sibilant](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/sibilant)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2020, 10:35pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/question-about-adding-scans/496477/7 "2020-09-25T22:35:06Z")
> [@Sam\_ZXW](#): > > Aren’t links with pirated content against the rules though? That only applies to [URL relationships](https://musicbrainz.org/doc/Style/Relationships/URLs). For example: It’s not permissible to edit a release, add a link to a pirate site, and then categorise the URL as a “Download for free” resource. Your case is different since you’re just citing a pirate source (in edit notes) for some scans. ---
**Author:** ![aerozol](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/aerozol/32/116_2.png) [@aerozol](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/aerozol)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2020, 12:06am UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/question-about-adding-scans/496477/8 "2020-09-26T00:06:34Z")
> [@Cheezmo](#): > > If you don’t actually have the source to compare it to, no bueno. Has anyone really ever faked details in scans? I think if the barcode and label/cat no. matches it should be all good? ---
**Author:** ![HibiscusKazeneko](https://community.metabrainz.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HibiscusKazeneko](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/HibiscusKazeneko)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2020, 1:11am UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/question-about-adding-scans/496477/9 "2020-09-26T01:11:07Z")
> [@aerozol](#): > > Has anyone really ever faked details in scans? There was one editor [who](https://musicbrainz.org/edit/42576117) [did](https://musicbrainz.org/edit/42544653) [that](https://musicbrainz.org/edit/42548786) [many](https://musicbrainz.org/edit/42547944) [years](https://musicbrainz.org/edit/42547153) [ago](https://musicbrainz.org/edit/42546925). Unfortunately (for historical purposes), all examples of this have now been lost. ---
**Author:** ![elomatreb](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/elomatreb/32/44009_2.png) [@elomatreb](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/elomatreb)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2020, 7:32pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/question-about-adding-scans/496477/10 "2020-09-26T19:32:47Z")
(Just for reference, deleted coverart seems to stick around on the internet archive servers, it’s just not linked by musicbrainz anymore. See [here](https://ia801901.us.archive.org/7/items/mbid-ccc35533-ad3d-459a-aefd-3c525bfa0b3a/mbid-ccc35533-ad3d-459a-aefd-3c525bfa0b3a-15537882059.jpg) for your example above) ---
**Author:** ![chaban](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/chaban/32/111349_2.png) [@chaban](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/chaban)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2020, 9:13pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/question-about-adding-scans/496477/11 "2020-09-26T21:13:43Z")
> [@elomatreb](#): > > deleted coverart seems to stick around on the internet archive servers [That’s a bug](https://tickets.metabrainz.org/browse/MBS-4753) and while it [might serve useful](https://chatlogs.metabrainz.org/brainzbot/musicbrainz/msg/4620573/) at times I think it should be fixed. If only because it’s unexpected, undocumented behaviour that doesn’t seem intentional and can get in the way of [undoing mistakes](https://tickets.metabrainz.org/browse/MBS-11038) To stay on topic, pasting links where you can pirate material [might not be as unproblematic.](https://musicbrainz.org/edit/71174506#note-71174506-8) When I got scans from e.g. public torrents I’ll just paste the hash, for [scene releases](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warez_scene) I’ll link to [srrdb](https://www.srrdb.com/) if available. I figure providing just the info hash is also not safe. :\ ---
**Author:** ![IvanDobsky](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/ivandobsky/32/11785_2.png) [@IvanDobsky](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/IvanDobsky)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2020, 10:32pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/question-about-adding-scans/496477/12 "2020-09-26T22:32:10Z")
I post links to bootlegs, concerts, etc. if it is a source that is unique. But a copyright product that can be purchased from a shop as a physical product, or iTunes\Spotify seems a bit over the line to me. As the OP said the only scans were on a piracy blog, that sounds like something not available in the shops. If there _is_ a logo on there then it can be blurred in an art program. I find some of those bootleg \ piracy links useful validation of data too. I’ve often used a link in an edit note to return for more information on that release or related releases. I think most bands are happy for fans to access extra tunes and unusual items this way. It is just a greedy record company who gets upset as they misunderstand true fans. ---
**Author:** ![Cheezmo](https://community.metabrainz.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Cheezmo](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/Cheezmo)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2020, 3:41pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/question-about-adding-scans/496477/13 "2020-09-27T15:41:18Z")
I don’t think faking them is the problem. It would just lead to possibly assigning scans to a release that are incorrect (slight differences in artwork, printing on the CD label, etc.