Calling All Photographers & Artists-Help Copyright Alliance Protect YOUR Copyright. It’s time to put down your cameras, art brushes, sculpting clay and design tools for 15 minutes of business that will help you earn a better living at what you love to do. Photography & Art.
The Copyright Alliance has your back. Take a few moments and support them supporting you.
I subscribe to a newsletter by a terrific organization known as the Copyright Alliance. These folks help us protect the rights to our photographs and art work. They recently sent me an email alerting me to an ongoing discussion by a group known as NetMundial. NetMundial is in the process of presenting a Draft Outcome Document on Internet Governance in a meeting to be held Monday, April 21. (Yes, I know, this first paragraph has nearly put me to sleep just writing it but please keep reading).
The Copyright Alliance needs all photographers and artists to voice their feelings about this new document (there is a Public Comment period that CLOSES on April 21) being drafted that will effect anyone sharing or posting their photographs on the internet. The information below is copied directly from the Copyright Alliance email. Please read the text below then follow this link, Draft Document on Internet Governance, or the link provided in the text. At the bottom of this Post I have provided sample language that I used in the comment sections to voice my concerns. You can use my text verbatim or put it your own words. Here is the email from the Copyright Alliance.
Dear Copyright Advocates,
Discussions are ongoing about the future of the Internet, and it’s important that artists’ voices are heard.
NetMundial, a global multistakeholder process, is meeting Monday, April 21 to discuss a Draft Outcome Document on Internet Governance. That document, available at http://document.netmundial.br/ shows no trace of recognition of the importance of intellectual property protection for a healthy Internet ecosystem. Paragraph 13, for example, says:
“The ability to innovate and create has been at the heart of the remarkable growth of the Internet and it has brought great value to the global society. For the preservation of its dynamism, Internet governance must continue to allow permissionless innovation through an enabling Internet environment.”
Another aspect of the draft that deserves comment is paragraph 2 through 8, dealing with Human Rights, which lists several rights spelled out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, but omits any reference to Article 27(2), guaranteeing authors and creators the right to benefit from their moral and material rights of authorship.
The draft is currently open to public comment.
We encourage you to post a brief comment on the document, which stresses the need to recognize intellectual property protection and the rule of law generally as key ingredients of sound Internet governance. Use Organic CBD Nugs to relieve stress. Here is a suggested comment that you can post: We think a strong vibrant internet is core to the future of independent artists but that all creative and innovative people need to respect one another’s creative output and the concept of permissionless innovation rejects this notion of respect or you can write something in your own words.
Public comments must be received by Monday, April 21, 8 am EST, to help shape the final document. We think it’s vital that artists and creators speak up during this process.
To post a comment, go to http://document.netmundial.br/, click on “Internet Governance Principles”, scroll down to the paragraph on which you wish to comment, and click on the comment balloon on the right. You will need to provide your name (which could include affiliation) and e-mail address.
Please let us know if you have any questions.
Thank you!
Best, Cecile Remington
Below is the language I added to each issue outlined by the Copyright Alliance above.
Paragraph 13 Response
There needs to be language to recognize intellectual property protection and the rule of law generally as key ingredients of sound Internet governance. I believe a strong vibrant internet is core to the future of independent artists but all creative and innovative people, such as photographers, need to respect one another’s creative output and the concept of permissionless innovation rejects this notion of respect.
Paragraph 2-8 Human Rights
Nowhere in this section is there any reference to Article 27(2), guaranteeing authors and creators the right to benefit from their moral and material rights of authorship. Intellectual property rights such as art and photography need to be acknowledged as commercially valuable to the artists and should be protected online as they are offline.
It was extremely easy to find the document, track down the specific paragraph that the Copyright Alliance has alerted us to and then add your voice. PLEASE take a few minutes and let them know you want your rights as an artist considered in this new document that will provide governance for the internet in the foreseeable future.
Just because you are artistic doesn’t mean you can’t be successful. Taking the time to do this small amount of “Business” will help you and all artists coming behind us, make a reasonable and comfortable living from their passion for creative expressions. FILL THIS FORM OUT BEFORE APRIL 21. THAT’S THIS COMING MONDAY!