HELP PROTECT YOUR COPYRIGHT

HELP PROTECT THE COPYRIGHT OF ALL CONTENT CREATORS

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If you are a US based content provider, or if you are simply a US resident who supports creativity, you have the unique last-minute opportunity to make a difference, so please read on! Even if you are not US based, the following information should be of great interest to you too. Please read to the end of this article for information that affects us all.

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Image ©Diane Macdonald. All Rights Reserved.

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Under US copyright law, your blog, your story, your poem, your painting, your sculpture, your photograph, your music, your film, your choreography, your software and your artworks of all kind are copyright the moment you create them. Only YOU have the right to allow others to use your work. No one has the right to use your work in any way without specific permission from you, or the payment of a royalty fee.

For many years copyright protection groups have been working together to create a new Bill, The Small-Claims Tribunal Bill, which if passed before the end of this month, will allow photographers and all creatives to pursue Copyright Infringement in an easier and less expensive way than the current tedious and expensive process.

So, how can you help all content providers like yourself or your family members or friends? Before the end of April – possibly next week – in the US Senate, H.R. 3945 will be voted on. You can let your Representative know that this Bill is important to you as a creator of content, or to you as a concerned resident who believes that all artists deserve to be paid for their hard work.

If you are a United States resident, a form letter on the The Copyright Alliance Website is just a click away! They have made it so simple to do. All you have to do is enter your zip code, and the form letter urging your politicians to sign the Bill will be sent directly to your House Representative and Senators after you fill in your name, address and email address!

You will see 3 letters you can send. The first one is the one urging your politicians to vote in favor of Bill H.R. 3945; the second one points out to them that you clearly OWN what you create; the third letter urges them to join the Creative Rights Caucus which will help to educate the public and lawmakers about the importance of protecting our rights as creators.

Finally, how does this affect those of you who are non-US based Steemians? Steemit Inc. is a US based website, and as such is subject to US Copyright Law. Being on the Blockchain does not change this fact! Steemit must comply with all US laws governing copyright, so your blog is copyright, and every photograph taken from the web is also protected by copyright. Should this Bill pass, which I hope it does, it will make it far easier for photographers and other artists to go after infringers.

You can't use an image and then just provide a link to where you found the work on the web. Links don't pay photographers' fees! In fact, I make it a point of never Upvoting or Commenting anymore on posts where clicking on the SOURCE leads to a stock image being used on the web - other than sites like Pixabay etc.! I refuse to help someone make money at the expense of another artist, who is getting paid nothing for the usage! It never ceases to amaze me that even some with very high reputations on Steemit, are following this practice and Infringing on Copyright. Even though their content is otherwise superb, I do not Upvote their posts.

In conclusion, I remind all United States Residents to Act Now, and I request that everyone seriously considers Resteeming this post, so that every US resident on Steemit can be informed, and they can have their say!

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If you wish to participate in the #wiwcontest for this week, you will find the theme and the rules here. Any SBD donations towards the rewards would be most welcome.

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Thanks for taking the time to read this! I appreciate it. Please check out my photography-101 account here for tips and tutorials about photography.

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