CC attribution hijinks

Post date: 2025-05-10 05:51:27

I'm responsible for a website that uses a Creative Commons-licensed image. The requested attribution includes a link to a domain whose registration has lapsed and which is now parked with a scammy, semi-pornographic gambling site's promotion that tries to run all kinds of scripts when you open it. Are we obligated to maintain this hyperlink in exactly the requested form if we continue to use the image?

The requested attribution is basically in the form "Name of Work - Credit to http://lapsed-domain.com/" by lapsed-domain is licensed under CC BY 2.0."

Nobody has complained yet, but if we leave the link up, it's probably going to happen. Also, the parked content is both objectionable and potentially risky, so I'd very much prefer to discontinue linking to it ASAP.

Obviously, we can choose to discontinue using the image, but people like it and would like to continue using it.

Can we, legally and ethically, remove the hyperlink (so the domain is text only), modify the domain so it's not reachable (e.g. something like removing the http:// and rewriting it as parked domain dot] com), or remove it altogether

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