Hello everyone, apologies for the delay on this. About two days ago it was suggested to me that we setup an etherpad to discuss the issue of what our suggestion should be to amend the South African Copy Right Act of 1978 so as to allow for Freedom of Panorama. I feel that now is a good time to set this etherpad up so that anyone who is interested in contributing to this issue can do so in a collaborative way whilst avoiding spamming other people on this list (who might not be interested in this) with our chatter.
You can find the etherpad at the link here- https://etherpad.wikimedia.org/p/SA_Copy_Right_Act_amendment_bill_-sec_15_(3) Looking forward to your contributions. Please remember that the deadline for us to submit a suggestion on how to amend the bill is the 16th September 2015 but I would like to get our submission in on the 15th. Cheers, Douglas. On 18 August 2015 at 09:54, [email protected] <[email protected]> wrote: > > http://medialternatives.com/2015/08/17/draft-copyright-bill-amendment-alarm/ > > On Tue, Aug 18, 2015 at 12:30 AM, Douglas Scott <[email protected] > > > wrote: > > > Hello everyone, > > > > As many of you no doubt know the Copy Right Act 1978 section 15 (3) > > < > > > https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Freedom_of_panorama#South_Africa > > > > > has been a bone of some contention for the South Africa Wikipedia > community > > for a long time now as it has effectively meant that we here in South > > Africa are denied Freedom of Panorama > > <https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Freedom_of_panorama>. > > > > Last week I was fortunate enough to have attended an event organised by > Dr > > Tobias Schonwetter from UCT (and from Creative Commons South Africa) to > > discuss a suggested redrafting of the act. I am happy to say that I > feel I > > was able to make a good case to the relevant authorities from the > > Department of Trade and Industry as well as others present for the need > to > > revise the act to allow for Freedom of Panorama. I feel they were very > > sympathetic to our concerns about the need and desirability of Freedom of > > Panorama in South Africa. > > > > Now comes the hard part. We need to work on a suggested revision of > > Section 15 (3) (or Section 15 generally) to allow for Freedom of Panorama > > and we need to do it quickly as the deadline for submissions to change > the > > act is the 27th of August 2015. > > > > My suggestion is to use the Spanish or German Freedom of Panorama acts as > > guidelines for us which basically state that people are free to take > > pictures or otherwise reproduce works that are permanently found outside > on > > public ways, streets or places (e.g. squares, plazas) and to distribute > and > > publicly communicate such copies. > > > > Or as the Spanish act says: "Works permanently located in parks, streets, > > squares or other public places may be freely reproduced, distributed and > > communicated by means of paintings, drawings, photographs and audiovisual > > processes." and goes on to state that this "may not be so interpreted > that > > they could be applied in a manner capable of unreasonably prejudicing the > > legitimate interests of the author or adversely affecting the normal > > exploitation of the works to which they refer." > > > > I want to notify the community of this opportunity for us to amended the > > act as well as the progress the Chapter (Wikimedia South Africa) has made > > in possibly getting Freedom of Panorama established in South Africa. > > > > I also wanted to let you know that should you have any comments of your > own > > on the amendment of the Copy Right act of 1978 then please have a look at > > the link here > > < > > > http://saha.org.za/news/2015/August/call_for_comment_copyright_amendment_bill.htm > > > > > for more information as well as the contact details of the contact person > > at the DTI. > > > > Thanks and best regards, > > > > Douglas. > > > > -- > > Douglas Ian Scott > > 司道格 > > Skype: douglas0scott > > South African mobile number: +27 (0)79 515 8727 > > _______________________________________________ > > WikimediaZA mailing list > > [email protected] > > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediaza > > > > > > -- > *David Robert Lewis* > *PO BOX 4398* > *Cape Town* > *8000* > *South Africa* > > *Mobile 082 425 1454* > *Home 021 448 0021* > *Fax **0862396815* > *Skype david.robert.lewis* > _______________________________________________ > WikimediaZA mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediaza > -- Douglas Ian Scott 司道格 Skype: douglas0scott South African mobile number: +27 (0)79 515 8727 _______________________________________________ WikimediaZA mailing list [email protected] https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediaza
