Who holds the copyright?

Last month after presenting my talk on Copyright Issues for 21st Century Genealogists for the Clark County Nevada Genealogical Society, I received an email from a member who had attending asking a question to which I had no simple answer.  I am going to present the question here in his words, with his permission, and  we both welcome opinions and discussion from all of you.

So the question is….

I have a real life question on copyright as it applies to photographs.

During a recent vacation, I handed my camera to a random gentleman whom I asked to take my photo. The photo he took with my camera is SUPERB!!! The question is…Who owns the copyright? I have the only .jpg file of the photo, yet someone (whom I cannot identify) took the photo. If he is the copyright owner, I cannot enter the photo in any contest or publish it in a book of my photos.  (G. Shull)

Watch the blog next week for the conclusion Gary reached.  Will it agree with yours?

Trans Pacific Partnership and Copyright

The Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a trade agreement being negotiated between is negotiating with eleven countries: Australia, Brunei, Chile, Peru, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, United States. Canada and Mexico.

I offer no opinions here, just some links to blogs and articles on the intellectual property portion of the agreement for your perusal.  Feel free to leave comments!

• Electronic Frontier Education 
• Public Knowledge  
• The Economic Impact of Copyright: A Presentation to TPP Negotiators
• New American TPP Copyright Provisions Threaten Internet Freedom, U.S. Sovereignty  
• Vancouver Sun – Digital Life 
• the Guardian – The Pacific free trade deal that’s anything but free
• Global Research Malaysia and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP)  
• Zero Paid Trans-Pacific Partnership Leaks Again – Copyright Limitations and Exceptions 
• Law and Disorder Exporting copyright: Inside the secretive Trans-Pacific Partnership
• IFLA Library statement on Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement negotiations
• TechCentral.ie Critics concerned trade agreement will include SOPA languageTrans-Pacific Partnership has echoes of failed copyright reform measures 
• infojustice.org Joint Statement on U.S. Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Proposal on Exceptions and Limitations  
• techdirt –  Hollywood Wines & Dines Kiwi Politicians To Get Them To Support Hollywood’s Copyright Insanity In TPP  
• Washburn, Taylor, Yale Journal Getting Copyright Right  in the Trans-Pacific Partnership
• USTR Introduces New Copyright Exceptions and Limitations Provision at San Diego TPP Talks

Poll Results (1)

Over 57% of respondents said they want to use copyrighted material but don’t know how to get permission.

Over 30% said they are concerned with people violating their copyright.