An Urgent Call for Action
There is an alarming change in US Copyright Law now being %u201Cfast tracked%u201C through Congress with a good chance of passage before the end of the current session of Congress. As currently written, %u201COrphan Works%u201D legislation would pose a serious threat to stock photographers by removing protections from unauthorized use of our images.
What are "Orphan Works" ?
When the copyright holder of a work cannot be located, it's commonly referred to as an "orphan work." The US copyright is trying to pass an orphan works bill which would cut out needing to get permission from artists to use their work.
This means that large companies could essentially steal your work for their profits, and they would not need to pay you, or ask permission, to steal it. All they would have to do is a quick search and if they find out that it isn't copyrighted, or that the copyright's time has passed, they are allowed to USE YOUR WORK FOR THEIR PROFIT. And you lose your rights to reap profits from the artwork you created.
The Big Guys would Make The Money from YOUR WORK, and You Wouldn't. That isn't Fair.
The Orphan works bill was originally intended so non profits and museums could use work for archiving purposes. But the bill doesn't make any distinction between large corporate companies using your work, or even individuals.
So no matter who steals your stuff, under the Orphaned Works Bill, it just means THEY WOULD GET MONEY FROM YOUR WORK, AND YOU (The Artist) WOULDN'T.
While some people protesting the bill are advocating that non profits or museums can use other peoples images for their own gain, I still say...nobody should be able to use your work without your permission, and if they earn a profit from it, you should earn a profit from it too.
This petition is in protest of the orphaned works law. We do not want it to pass. Art and music that belongs to you, and should not be used by others without your written permission.
NO ORGANIZATION, individual, corporate company, or website, should be allowed to use your art for their financial gain. Use of art must always be approved by the artist, in writing, with financial terms agreed upon via personal contract.
Any artist or musician who publishes their work on the internet automatically owns the copyright to their work, and will own the copyrights til the end of time, as long as their work is published digitally. No work is orphan work, as long as the artist has published it on ANY website to prove their date of ownership.
This also applies to stock photographers and artists - no artist should have to PAY MONEY to a PRIVATE COMPANY TO REGISTER THEIR WORK, to prevent their work from begin STOLEN under the orphan works law.
