After the failure of the Digital Economy Act (DEA) due to last years general election, the new government asked Prof. Ian Hargreaves to look into IP rights in the UK. His report has just been released (you can find it at IP Review
In a nutshell, it recommends the exploitation of 'orphan works', the creation of a Digital Copyright Exchange (for rights clearances and owner searches), and the allowing of format shifting. Some worrying trends for photographers trying to make a living from their work!! If you're a member of any of the photographic societies, then please think about continuing to push them to lobby for your rights, and not for a worse framework than currently exists! Make them work for your membership fees!!!
A brief skim read showed that (excluding the trademarks & patents sections) the document is heavily slanted towards Music and Video/Film, although occasional mention is made of photography. Some of the relevant sections are:
Page 8 S3 Copyright licensing - creation of a Digital Copyright Exchange
Pg 8 S4 Orphan Works - orphaned if not found via search in Digital Copyright Exchange
pg 38 S4.51 orphan works
S4.57 & 4.59 are of interest...
Pg 8 S5 Limits to copyright - format shifting, and new technologies.
pgs 48-49, Private Copying / Format Shifting
S5.30 7 5.31 - allowing format shifting.
pgs 51 Making exceptions mandatory
S5.39 - removing your ability to contractually remove exceptions via license terms (ie won't be able to contractually stop format shifting).
Pg 9 S8 Enforcement of IPRights - introduction of a small claims track for low monetary value IP claims (in patents county court!) (might help get some money back!!)
pg84 The Patents County Court
S8.64-8.69
Discussion
1 repliesIn a nutshell, it recommends the exploitation of 'orphan works', the creation of a Digital Copyright Exchange (for rights clearances and owner searches), and the allowing of format shifting. Some worrying trends for photographers trying to make a living from their work!! If you're a member of any of the photographic societies, then please think about continuing to push them to lobby for your rights, and not for a worse framework than currently exists! Make them work for your membership fees!!!
A brief skim read showed that (excluding the trademarks & patents sections) the document is heavily slanted towards Music and Video/Film, although occasional mention is made of photography. Some of the relevant sections are:
Page 8 S3 Copyright licensing - creation of a Digital Copyright Exchange
Pg 8 S4 Orphan Works - orphaned if not found via search in Digital Copyright Exchange
pg 38 S4.51 orphan works
S4.57 & 4.59 are of interest...
Pg 8 S5 Limits to copyright - format shifting, and new technologies.
pgs 48-49, Private Copying / Format Shifting
S5.30 7 5.31 - allowing format shifting.
pgs 51 Making exceptions mandatory
S5.39 - removing your ability to contractually remove exceptions via license terms (ie won't be able to contractually stop format shifting).
Pg 9 S8 Enforcement of IPRights - introduction of a small claims track for low monetary value IP claims (in patents county court!) (might help get some money back!!)
pg84 The Patents County Court
S8.64-8.69