Copyright: time to change the laws?

Just a discussion culminating in an opt in system suggestion.



Oh, and a no brainer.




My thoughts are that the user should seek permission rather than the owner seeking protection.

In the US, the onus is on the artist to register their works with the authorities. That's the opposite of how it works over here, where copyright is assumed.

Not sure I want the hassle, but if it ends up protecting the rights of the creator, then that's the way it has to be.

For me it's not the hassle, but the cost. It's ~35USD for each set of images you want protecting in the states, non?

I thought our rights were already protected. If they are then why change the system?

I think the suposed advantage of the US system of having to register copyright is that it's very easily provable in court when someone steals your images.

I think the period of protection needs to be drastically reduced. 70 years after the death of the creator is way too much.

Haven't the yanks been pushing to increase that even more? Personally I think 20 after death would be more than suitable, the estate should go out and earn their own money.

I think anyone should be able to use another's images with the appropriate credit included if it is on a not-for-profit basis, that way the images get exposure. However when someone earns money from anothers work then there should be a profit sharing scheme.

Don't you think that should be up to the photographer?

IMHO, if I make an image, it belongs to me. I should not be required to go to extra effort and expense (lining somebody else's pocket), to prove it. If somebody else wishes to use that image, they have a reason and will go to some effort to achieve that end. Part of that effort involves contacting me and asking permission, it is after all my image. No third party should be inserting themselves, uninvited, as a middle-man and creaming off profit for nothing.

Still too much - death is the latest I'd want to see, but TBH I'd be happy to support a fixed term, such as 25 years (from date of creation).

That would bring it in line with a lot of other patent industries such as pharmaceuticals and engineering. However those are groups and not individuals so I'm not so sure that would be fair. Should we make a deal on death?