One may soon have to produce a license to click a picture of a monument or designer furniture in the United Kingdom.
Changes in the enterprise and regulatory reform act 2013, which extends the copyright of artistic objects from 25 years after they enter the market, right up to 70 years after the creator's death, will span over a 100 years from the time the object was designed, Arstechnica reported.
This means, during that period "taking a photograph of the item or object will often require a license from the copyright owner regardless of who owns the particular object in question," the report further states.
On similar lines, it is also considered illegal to make copies of music you own or produce. With the advent of digital technology, it is unlikely that the public will pay any attention to the latest example of copyright issue.
However, for photographers and other professionals it is not so easy to ignore. For example, if a photographer is taking a picture, and an object in the picture is copyright protected, in that case the photographer might require a license to include those objects in his/her picture, Arstechnica reported.
The United Kingdom government is holding a consultation when this change should come into force. It will either be after a six-month, three-year or five-year period.
The other groups of people who have been affected by the copyright changes are—book publishers and editors.
"The government has actually said 'you are collateral damage' in a very sanguine, offhand way. The dark end of the spectrum would be to take books out of circulation and have to pulp. Obviously no one wants to look at that," said Natalie Kontarsky, Associate Director for legal and business affairs at art publisher Thames and Hudson, Arstechnica reported.
This means thousands of UK citizens could accidentally become law breakers and offenders without being aware of it. Next time you decide to visit the UK, be careful where you take pictures.
