The Fair Use Law

[EliseLeveque]

Hi all,

I was wondering if any of you has come across a similar scenario.

Some time back I took some pictures which I posted on my Facebook. They were about a World War 2 re-enacting event and some of them were pretty good.

The other day while I was browsing the web, I noticed one of my pictures was on a blog without my permission. The photo was credited to me but there was no link back to my Facebook.

When I emailed the site owner I got an answer saying that I was credited and that he was using the photo under the fair use law (he was talking about re-enacting).

I am flattered that he used my photo and I would be okay to have it shared on his blog, but since he didn't even bother to tell me he used it, I am inclined to tell him to take it off, however because of the "fair use" he claims he doesn't have to. He did link back eventually though.

Any ideas?

[miketoll]

Surely you own all copyright to your photos? That is my uneducated understanding.

[Birdsnapper]

Here's a useful link:-
http://www.copyrightservice.co.uk/co...work_of_others

Item 6(i) is of particular interest. I'd say that showing the image in a blog is making it available to other people and, therefore, 'fair use' does not apply.

[EliseLeveque]

Originally Posted by miketoll

Surely you own all copyright to your photos? That is my uneducated understanding.

Yes, exactly, it's really hard for some people to understand. They go under the assumption that because it's on the net it's of public domain...

[EliseLeveque]

Originally Posted by birdsnapper

Here's a useful link:-
http://www.copyrightservice.co.uk/co...work_of_others

Item 6(i) is of particular interest. I'd say that showing the image in a blog is making it available to other people and, therefore, 'fair use' does not apply.

Hi there,

Thanks. That's quite interesting, I shall link him that and tell him to take the photo down.

Again, if he had asked and not been so stubborn about it I'd allowed it, but I think this guy needs some PR skills!

[miketoll]

Know exactly where you are coming from. Having taken some shots on my recent wildlife holiday with a small firm they have seen some of my shots and have asked permission to use some of them with credit given to me. Happy to say yes but if they had done otherwise I would have got angry. They did the right thing.