The government has introduced a bill that will make photographers, artists, and musicians of all sorts to “register” their art with a business in order for it not to be considered “orphan work”. This means artists have to pay someone to say that their work is theirs, and the company can use the art for their own means while at the same time offering it for “royalty free” use. If the works are not registered with one of these companies then the art is considered “orphan work” and anyone can use it for anything they want, no matter who creates it. Please, go to this site and read the first 2 posts on how you can contact the representatives in your area to keep this bill from passing and why you would want to. Because if it does pass, you can be sure that many of the local artists that make this country so unique and amazing will quickly disappear, and those in business will go out of business.
http://jamesschotgallerystudio.com/blog/
Exert: “You could see photos you take of your family and kids, or of a family vacation, used in a magazine or newspaper without your permission or payment to you. You would have to pay to register your photos, all of them, in every new registry in order to protect them. Say the average person takes 300 photos per year (I take a lot more than that). If a registry only charges $5 per image, that is a whopping $1,500 to protect your photos that are protected automatically under the current laws. If there are three registries, protecting your images could cost an amazing $4,500. Not to mention the time it would take to register every photo you take. Plus, you will also have to place your copyright sign on every photo…..It gets even better. Anyone can submit images, including your images. They would then be excused from any liability for infringement (also known as THEFT) unless the legitimate rights owner (you) responds within a certain period of time to grant or deny permission to use your work.“
