The Digital Economy Bill
If The Digital Economy Bill is passed in its current form any photograph you have put up on the internet can be used by anyone for marketing/branding/etc (unless of course you have in place the appropriate copywright).
What this means is, that beautiful picture you took on that sunday walk, or on your holiday, or waiting for the bus that you just had to share with your mates because of the joy it brings them and you is now going to be ripped off by Rupert Murdoch and SOLD back to you as advertising for shoes or whatever. Not only that, we might see our own faces on the sides of buses selling us products that we dislike for moral or ethical reasons. If the bill passes in its current state the rights of the owner of the photograph to negotiate a fee, agree or disagree on usage of an image will disappear.
This Bill is also the one that means that IPs can be removed from the internet by 'Pirate Finder General' Mandelson for filesharing.
However, the Joint Select Commitee for Human Rights has told the Government that the bill could breach the rights of Internet Users so there is some hope.
What this means is, that beautiful picture you took on that sunday walk, or on your holiday, or waiting for the bus that you just had to share with your mates because of the joy it brings them and you is now going to be ripped off by Rupert Murdoch and SOLD back to you as advertising for shoes or whatever. Not only that, we might see our own faces on the sides of buses selling us products that we dislike for moral or ethical reasons. If the bill passes in its current state the rights of the owner of the photograph to negotiate a fee, agree or disagree on usage of an image will disappear.
This Bill is also the one that means that IPs can be removed from the internet by 'Pirate Finder General' Mandelson for filesharing.
However, the Joint Select Commitee for Human Rights has told the Government that the bill could breach the rights of Internet Users so there is some hope.