Lets just let this sink in a little: In a attempt to possibly kill off professional photographers, the UK has a new act that makes it legal for photographs to get used without payment to the creators. A few photographers instantly went “WHAT!” A few others said some phrases so colorful they could not be repeated. The British government, in an appalling decision, is applying this to all photographs worldwide. Basically, this affects all photographers.
This new act known as the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act, which received Royal Assent, allows all work considered to be an orphaned work to be used for free. Orphan works are those which the creator cannot be found. In essence, this just does not mean the work of people who have passed. This applies to images that have no metadata also. The majority of websites and social media sites strip out all metadata. This makes an image and orphan work, allowing it to be used for free and for any purpose. If a corporation or individual proves they searched and could not find the author of the image, they don’t have to pay.
There is a lot more to this and you can read it here.
Via 3 Legged Thing’s Facebook Page
