This is strictly my own opinion. I know people will disagree, but here it is.
I came to this article because I would really like to use the Public Domain images on the Met website in my artwork. I should have no fear of using them. But it does scare me to see their notice. Though I know they are wrong.
Don't the curators at the Met realize artists and bloggers are a huge part of their online audience? Artists and bloggers are not going to help them the way things are. However, if they make friends with artists and bloggers they will benefit much more. Maybe a notice something like this:
"At the Met we realize there is controversy regarding the licensing by museums of Public Domain images. We choose to freely offer our images to the public. In return we ask when possible that credit be given for use of our photographs in artwork, commercial products or on blogs. Your participation in crediting us will benefit the museum so that we may continue to serve the public now, just as we have for many years. Thank you."
I would place this in fine print at the bottom of each page.
As an artist and blogger I would go out of my way to credit the Met.
Instead of scathing compolaints like the one in Huff Post, bloggers will praise the Met for their progressive views. This will establish them in the public's mind as "white hat" guys. Good guys. And that is worth its weight in gold on the Internet.
Sunny
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From Zero to Hero In One Step
I came to this article because I would really like to use the Public Domain images on the Met website in my artwork. I should have no fear of using them. But it does scare me to see their notice. Though I know they are wrong.
Don't the curators at the Met realize artists and bloggers are a huge part of their online audience? Artists and bloggers are not going to help them the way things are. However, if they make friends with artists and bloggers they will benefit much more. Maybe a notice something like this:
"At the Met we realize there is controversy regarding the licensing by museums of Public Domain images. We choose to freely offer our images to the public. In return we ask when possible that credit be given for use of our photographs in artwork, commercial products or on blogs. Your participation in crediting us will benefit the museum so that we may continue to serve the public now, just as we have for many years. Thank you."
I would place this in fine print at the bottom of each page.
As an artist and blogger I would go out of my way to credit the Met.
Instead of scathing compolaints like the one in Huff Post, bloggers will praise the Met for their progressive views. This will establish them in the public's mind as "white hat" guys. Good guys. And that is worth its weight in gold on the Internet.
Sunny
Techdirt has not posted any stories submitted by sunnyafternoon.
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