IOC Tries to Take Down Olympic Photos on Flickr

The IOC must protect its intellectual property at all costs, even if it means suing their fans.They clearly printed on the ticket that photographs within their venues are strictly prohibited. Whomever took that photo was in violation of the contract he engaged in when he attended the event.

The IOC from my understanding is one of the few organizations to enjoy a wide ranging international copyright (as opposed to a National, country-by-country copyright). This news is ironic considering an Olympic Congress in Copenhagen urged the IOC to embrace New Media

but I didn't buy a ticket to the olympics. i went to the venues months after it was over and i didn't need to buy any ticket to get on the grounds where i took photos. and nowhere did i see nor was i told that taking photographs was prohibited. duh.

Coming next: You must pay royalties to use your eyes.

People,At issue isn't that he took photos of olympic venues. The IOC, in it's letter, is taking issue with the photographer licensing his photos of olympic venues through the Creative Commons. I can only speculate that people may use CC images rather than official images that may or may not require purchasing rights from the IOC for their use. A CC license circumvents this likely revenue stream for which the IOC is then taking issue with the photographer.I don't agree with their position, but let's talk about the facts. The IOC is *not* proposing a ban on cameras at or around it's venues, and they specifically allow photography for personal use. In the IOC's mind, licensing the images under CC no longer fits 'personal use.' THAT is the issue here.

Those who are singling out the IOC as the bad guy just don’t know what they are talking about. When I attended the Canadian Figure Skating Championships in 2008 run by the CFSA (Canadian Figure Skating Association) it was clearly stated on the back of my tickets, “"Ticket holders are only permitted to use cameras at the event for personal use. Cameras lens must not be larger than 200mm. Absolutely no video cameras or digital cameras using video are allowed. No flash photography is allowed. Any resale of photography is strictly prohibited." A similar statement was on the back of my tickets to the World Figure Skating Championships run by the ISU (International Skating Union) in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 />Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver and Minneapolis. Also, just try to take a semi-professional or professional camera into a Vancouver Canucks or BC Lions game. I guarantee you that you will be prevented from doing so. What about the rights of the Professional Photographers at these events who make their livelihood from photography? Most have worked hard to earn the right to one of those hard-to-obtain photojournalist passes. Should they not be protected from having to compete with the potential of hundreds of spectators with their cameras selling photographs on the web? If you want to be a professional photographer with those rights take a professional training course and work hard to earn those rights and privileges. We do not live in anarchy. There are rules. Rules that are there for a reason and must be followed or our whole society starts to break down. Also, I hope Richard Giles learned a lesson from this incident. If you value your photographs you need to protect them from others using them for commercial purposes. He should have “stamped” every photo he put on line with “All Rights Reserved” or similar phrase whether he owned the rights or not. While many will ask permission to use your photos many will not and you have no legal recourse. Certainly every photo I take at the 2010 Olympics will be digitally stamped by my camera “All Rights Reserved”!  The IOC is allowing you to photograph the Olympic events that you attend. Just be happy to have that privilege and don’t abuse it or it could have a negative impact on everyone at future Games.

Also, I hope Richard Giles learned a lesson from this incident. If you value your photographs you need to protect them from others using them for commercial purposes. He should have “stamped” every photo he put on line with “All Rights Reserved” or similar phrase whether he owned the rights or not. While many will ask permission to use your photos many will not and you have no legal recourse.You need to read up on Creative Commons.

The International Olympic Committee need to tighten up their act over these copyright issues. In line with their corporate policy agenda to take greater copyright control over their franchised product by taking more image product in house they should ban fans from taking cameras into the venues. This would create a potentially huge market where the IOC could sell a range of 'official memento stills' to punters which, given the rapid turnround potential of electronic media, would be available for sale very soon after the exciting moments occurred.

They should follow the bold initiative of FIFA during the 2006 World Cup in Germany. According to a report in the Times newspaper; "Hundreds of Dutch supporters watched their team’s 2-1 win over the Ivory Coast on Friday in their underwear. They turned up at the match in Stuttgart in bright orange lederhosen displaying the name of Dutch brewery Bavaria. Stewards told them they had to remove the offending outfits or they wouldn’t be allowed in so they did. The reason for the strip order? Budweiser is the tournament’s official beer and Fifa always takes care of its sponsors"