Photographers, have you seen this?

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Now I'm angry. I will see to it that heads roll in Congress if this bill makes any progress.

Here's a link to the text of the bill

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c1...
H.R.4279
Title: To enhance remedies for violations of intellectual property laws, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Conyers, John, Jr. [MI-14] (introduced 12/5/2007)

Co-sponsors
Rep Berman, Howard L. [CA-28] - 12/5/2007 Rep Bono Mack, Mary [CA-45] - 3/5/2008
Rep Chabot, Steve [OH-1] - 12/5/2007 Rep Coble, Howard [NC-6] - 3/4/2008
Rep Cohen, Steve [TN-9] - 12/5/2007 Rep Feeney, Tom [FL-24] - 12/5/2007
Rep Goodlatte, Bob [VA-6] - 12/5/2007 Rep Issa, Darrell E. [CA-49] - 12/5/2007
Rep Jackson-Lee, Sheila [TX-18] - 12/5/2007 Rep Keller, Ric [FL-8] - 12/5/2007
Rep Pence, Mike [IN-6] - 3/6/2008 Rep Schiff, Adam B. [CA-29] - 12/5/2007
Rep Smith, Lamar [TX-21] - 12/5/2007 Rep Watt, Melvin L. [NC-12] - 2/6/2008
Rep Wexler, Robert [FL-19] - 12/6/2007

Make sure these people hear from everybody.

I just did, and Oh My God! That is unbelievable! I never knew that they had been trying to pass that law for the past 2 years now. So not cool, I am going to contact my congressmen on monday morning about this. Thanks for trying to put the word out.

What's the matter with them!!!!!?!??!?!?!?!?!? This is WRONG!!!!!!

That will make all the people already stealing pictures happy. If this bill is passed, I'm taking ALL my pictures off the internet and only showing them to family and friends. No one has the right to say a photo is theirs if they didn't take it.

Wow. Is this for real?!? This makes me SO angry...

Thanks for sharing this!

Oh dear--it's so long and I had an even longer day. I'm sorry--does it say something about losing the copyright.

i'm printing up the article as i write this and we will discuss this further ... there has to be something to do, like hanging drawing and quartering congressmen, and the ceo's of big business. it was a bit messy, but seemed to work for the folks in the middle ages.

It makes a certain amount of sense. It was hard to keep track of ownership in the film era. Can you imagine today with billions of images created hourly?!

It is best to keep your intellectual property close to the vest and make sure you keep track of it. Never give it away by posting it electronically.

Miss Terisu,
Thank you for passing this along.

I've been hearing of this so-called orphaned works registration for a couple of years now, however I never had really taken the time to research it in detail. After reading this, I am now most certainly not in favor of it.

I'll be sending a letter to my senators and representatives very soon.

Thanks again.

I've just seen this.However, I'm not surprised. I've always admired artists,such as photographers,etc., all those who put in a lot of time,money and energy into their LOVE! They shouldn't have to fight another battle. Hope I've answered your question.

I knew about it. Unfortunately, captsnuf has the only solution. The Copyright Office backs this legislation. Government is run by business, not the people. Do you think politicians sit around and write legislation like this? Or, do you think a corporate lobbyist hands it to them?
I can't wait til the recession is over and we have a good depression to help sort out government.

Don't get too uptight about it yet. I'm sure he was fooled by something written in a newspaper dated April 1st. I hope.

Edit - if this is true, by the way, then I think I'll take over the government's website... afterall, it will be mine when I register the copyright :-)

Edit 2 - I have a very simple solution. Close down Hollywood, close down publishing companies and production companies. Close down all record labels and everyone, and I mean EVERYONE who is creative stop creating. Then we'll see how much of a benefit this law will be to economy. If it becomes so difficult to create art, then I won't be wanting to do it for a living. And guess what, everything revolves around the arts. Without entertainment, there is no life.