Hopeful closure for the photos topic

[rabah <rabah@tez.net>]

Poster: rabah <rabah@tez.net>

(sigh) Let me try to put a close to this topic  . . .

I quoted guidance that I had received from the Society Chronicler who
formulated this policy after consulting with her Deputy for Copyright
Issues. I am not "using my position to enforce my own interpretation of a
good idea, and changing the rules to fit that interpretation." Alas I
cannot point to "where it is written". This guideline resulted from a
discussion on the chronicler's email list with the bottom line being what I
quoted, that is, get permission. I had thought, perhaps mistakenly, that
this was going to be reflected in the Society Chronicler's Policies.

After all of this discussion I have found to my chagrin that an update has
not been made to the online copy of the policies and the email in question
was eaten the last time my hard drive died. It is also my understanding
that this guideline was to be added to the copyright section of the new
Chronicler's Handbook that is being produced. For the gentle that pointed
out to me privately, "As I understand SCA policies and Laws.. changes to
them may only be considered valid when posted" your point is well made. I
did not make a change to my policies as I thought the higher governing
document would be revised to reflect this. Be assured that I will mention
this topic to my boss the next time I talk to her. If this change is not
going to be reflected in the Society Chronicler's policies then I will
probably submit an Atlantian policy change to Their Majesties for
consideration.

Another quote I'd like to address: "Photographic rights lie with the
photographer.  Especially in public venues." I agree that the photographer
owns the copyright of his labors. I also reiterate that private persons
have the right to control the use of their image which is one reason that
model releases are used in the publishing industry. There are those people
in the SCA who work in professions (usually law enforcement or government
jobs) where for very good reasons they prefer that their picture not be
used, not to mention people who object for religious reasons. Whether the
subject's permission is legally required is a topic for lawyers and the
judicial system to decide. Permission required or no, people are suing
websites and publications that use their image without their permission.
Some of them are winning.

We can go circles on this topic for days and I'd rather it end here. I
cannot currently corraborate the policy that I have been asked to promote.
For those chroniclers or web ministers who first heard of this policy via
this medium I offer my apologies for I had thought that all of you had
received word of this policy from either myself or from my Kingdom Web
Minister prior to Unevent. The discussion at Unevent was meant to clarify
the reasoning behind the decision and not be your first introduction to the
material.

I also apologize to the denizens of the Merry Rose for stating as policy
something that hasn't been formally published as such. I had thought
otherwise, and answered a public posting in my role as both Kingdom
Chronicler and Deputy Society Chronicler based on information I believed to
be true. It has been and always will be my goal to do my part to keep
Atlantia litigation free. I ask that any further discussion on this matter
be taken to private conversation so that the rest of the list can move on
to other topics.

Thank you.

Rabah

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Every job is a self-portrait of the person who did it - 
autograph your work with excellence!
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