Can I use a logo (Image) from a GitHub repository with an MIT License?

Question

Can I use a Logo (Image file) from Github Repository with an MIT License, without violating any copyright terms?

Answer 1

First, verify that the image is indeed MIT-licensed. The project's README (or other documentation) may specify different licenses for code versus other media assets.

If the image is indeed MIT-licensed, then there is no copyright restriction against using the image, as long as you abide by the license's terms. Namely, you must preserve the license text and copyright notice(s) somewhere in your project and/or documentation.

Note that the MIT license is a copyright license, so you may still be forbidden from using the image in a certain ways under trademark law. In particular, take care not to use the logo in way that suggests endorsement by or explicit cooperation from the original project. Trademark is a monopoly on the right to use names, words, images, and even color combinations to identify the source of a good or service. Even if you have the right to reproduce the logo under copyright, you may still be liable if your use confuses consumers about the source of your application or service, so you may wish to take pains not to cause such confusion.