The Copykat

A photograph of the Northern Lights sparkling higher upward a hamlet inward Republic of Belarus (right) has no artistic merit whatsoever according to a recent courtroom ruling inward a copyright dispute betwixt a well-known lensman in addition to Belarus's state-run telly network.
Belteleradiocompany, which ran a characteristic using lensman Anton Motolko's operate that compared the hues inward his photos to the carmine in addition to light-green Belorussian flag. The telly channel did non pay or credit Motolko, in addition to had non asked permission to usage the pictures.  The unauthorized usage of their operate is something photographers choose decease accustomed to inward Belarus, Motolko told RFE/RL. "They [the telly network] produce it all the time." Motolko decided to sue. "I was bespeak for almost 1,000 euros ($1,100)," he said. But every bit the instance wore on, he decided to drib the sum inward damages he sought to precisely 1 kopek -- less than a cent. "I wanted to hold upward clear that this wasn't almost the money, that I precisely wanted professional person respect." But the snapper failed - key to the telly network's instance was testimony from an proficient (paid for past times Motolko) who said that Motolko's photographs did non choose "any signs of creative freshness, originality, uniqueness, or exceptionality" and were but a tape of a "social event," in addition to hence copyright protection did non apply - that despite thet fact he drove closed to 60km North of his domicile inward Minsk to discovery the perfect location, framed the paradigm in addition to used his science in addition to judgment editing the shot. But the conclusion is for sure non that out of stair with decisions inward another European nations - the  French conclusion to deny copyright protection to the iconic paradigm of Jimi Hendrix past times Gered Mankowitz springs to mind. An appeal is planned. (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty).

So y'all idea copyright police clitoris for libraries was the same across the world. It isn’t! There’s a patchwork quilt of differing interpretations in addition to applicable rights in addition to exceptions, in addition to this applies fifty-fifty inside the EU!. Dr Kenneth Crews, on behalf of WIPO, has compiled a Study on Copyright Limitations in addition to Exceptions for Libraries in addition to Archives that brings together data that relates to the activities of libraries in addition to archives from 188 countries. The written report shows that whilst closed to 66 countries choose amended or updated their copyright laws inward the past times half-dozen years, many countries all the same choose no provision for library activeness inside their domestic law! Nearly one-half produce non fifty-fifty explicitly let libraries to brand copies for query or study. As for adapting to the fast paced changes driven past times the cyberspace in addition to digital activities closed to countries are incredibly irksome to brand their laws correspond for purpose. Teresa Hackett, writing a CILIP blog almost this too points the reader to a EIFL Core Library Exceptions Checklist which is based on the findings in addition to provides a agency to assess what y'all intend almost your laws (and perchance position areas where y'all demand to discovery to a greater extent than information) inward relation to library activity. It’s described every bit ‘a practical and, nosotros hope, a fun agency to assist librarians’ in addition to those interested inward this area. Image by Marcus Hansson. 

TechDirt here who add together that the courtroom too noted the hypocrisy of lawyers who regularly photocopy things "now complaining almost students doing the same". Image courtesy of Solomon203.

And in conclusion - whilst at that topographic point choose been closed to nighttime mutterings inward Europe from songwriters in addition to self composing performers almost the activities of CMOs, including Buma-Stemra in addition to GEMA, who choose been offering established concert promoters 'discounts' or 'kickbacks'  on published world functioning tariffs - in addition to indeed inward Kingdom of Spain the Supreme Court ruled that SGAE's tariff was abusive in addition to ordered the CMO to flake the charge per unit of measurement in addition to fix a novel fair tariff - inward Republic of Macedonia things choose gone a lot further: Local music CMO ZAMP, previously the sole music copyright collection scheme for Macedonia, has withdrawn ALL broadcast licences because Macedonia's civilisation ministry building allowed the formation of a second collection grouping amongst novel rules governing how much coin ZAMP tin deduct from its members for its direction services.  ZAMP has informed Macedonia's broadcasters that they may non play whatsoever music created past times Macedonian artists, whom ZAMP claims to stand upward for with ZAMP maxim “Their destination is to split the authors in addition to to position a manus on the coin collected past times ZAMP. Thus the novel association, SOKOM MAP, has decease an musical instrument inward the civilisation ministry’s hands,” SOKOM MAP says it is an independent non-profit grouping representing songwriters.