PhotoLegal, a UK organisation dedicated to offering legal information to photographers has created a petition on the Number Ten website, the official residence of the UK Prime Minister.

The petition calls for the UK law to be changed to prevent organisations that promote photography competitions from claiming intellectual property rights from those who enter them.

The problem is known as rights grabbing and the organisations who use these unethical terms are taking advantage of entrants who often don’t understand complex terms and conditions. They are also taking advantage of the fact that they know that most people don’t even read the terms and conditions let alone understand them.

PhotoLegal has called for the law to be changed to reflect the principles set out in Pro-Imaging’s Bill of Rights for Artists.

Much more about this problem and how it is being addressed can be read at Pro-Imaging’s Bill of Rights

The petition can only be signed by UK citizens or residents in the UK. I would urge all those who care about artists rights, not just photographers, to sign this petition. The strength of feeling about this issue will be gauged by how many people take a little time out to sign it.

Thanks in advance to those who do.