I realize that things are posted to newsgroups that aren't public domain - movies, music, programs, etc...But are the discussions themselves public domain? For instance, say i had a blog or forum on physics. Could i re-post the physics newsgroup conversations on my website, keeping all original links and references to the authors intact? I've searched and haven't been able to find a definitive answer to this. I don't have any plans to do this, it's just something i've wondered about. I assume that it must be okay since there are several newsgroup websites around that do exactly this type of thing. Google groups being the largest one that i can think of.
No, nothing is public domain unless expressly claimed that it is.. So, read the TOS at Google Groups and see what they say..
Google Groups copies from Usenet. see 3.8 in the link http://www.faqs.org/faqs/law/copyright/faq/part3/ Technically the posts belong to the author. It's possible that the author could try a DMCA but it's unlikely.
Thanks for that! For some reason i didn't see that when i initially searched. That's more along the lines of what i'd assumed. It's probably a no-no, but it would be so cost prohibitive to pursue anything that it's unlikely anyone ever would. At least until someone with deep pockets and an axe to grind decides to push it and set some precedents.