Sweden Failed To License Photographs On New Currency
from the oops dept
Ah, copyright. Back in April, the Swedish central bank announced and showed off its new banknotes, including portraits of "important Swedish personalities." There's just one problem: it failed to license the images before announcing the notes. The bank insists that it wants to license the photos, but by showing off the new bills with the images prior to licensing them, it's put itself in a not-so-great bargaining position, and it appears the photographers are using that to demand much higher prices than the bank was expecting. So far, only two images have been cleared -- even though it's been five months since the new bills were announced and shown off. Yes, the bank can (and most likely will) find other photos, but it's going to involve redesigning many of the bills in question. Of course, this is the same Sweden where the government has been trying hard to crack down on infringement (at the urging of the US). Yet it's own central bank is going with a "use first, license later" approach?
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And it's amusing how it's a lose-lose situation because the photographers ask for more then the bank switches photos and the next photographers will get a worse license. And maybe the photos aren't that fit for the bills.
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it's the same approach for almost all (soon to be all, i bet) so-called democratic countries. is it any wonder that China, Iraq etc call us hypocrites and continue down the path of destroying human rights and freedoms?
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Relax-- they can always print what they need.
So why should the artists be treated any differently than the engravers, the designers or the printers? Copyright is just a union for artists.
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Heh. Gotta love the irony of the biter bit.
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Re:
Wealth and power often go hand in hand and are just variations on the same theme. Many of the people who want one get the other.
The ultimate end of the increasing wealth gap looks a lot like the ultimate end of political devolution into a dictatorship or totalitarian government. In both cases you end up essentially as an indentured servant to the whims of the state, regardless of whether its ruled by religious fundamentalists, political extremists, or wealth-hoarding capitalists. You owe your soul to the company store, regardless of what it's selling.
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As a Swedish citizen, I also can't help but wonder just how much money now has to be spent on overpriced licenses and redesigning already expensive bills.
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Re: Relax-- they can always print what they need.
So why should the artists be treated any differently than the engravers, the designers or the printers?
You realize that you just agreed with a Techdirt article right? (Is that one of the Seven Signs? Is the world going to end soon?)
The article is saying that the bank SHOULD have negotiated the licenses with the rights holders before the using the images, just like you would negotiate a contract with your employer before doing the work.
Copyright is just a union for artists.
No, it's not.
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'My work is above being printed on money itself'
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Heh
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Re: Heh. Gotta love the irony of the biter bit.
-- old Maine proverb
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There's an obvious solution
That's certainly how things would work under the kinds of copyright laws and treaties the US Intellectual Property Mafia are trying to get the rest of the world to pass!
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Bunch of hypocrites and Copyright Maximalists.
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Re: Re: Relax-- they can always print what they need.
Or something.
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