Responses
sp, 1/3/2006, 1:35:38 AM
If they're posting pictures that <i>they</i> took for the yearbook, then sure, maybe technically it's the "property of the school," but come on. This is a high school yearbook, it's not like it's a publishing company. How many people are really going to read a high school yearbook besides the people at the school? It's just so unnecessary to be all stingy about this.
Just my two cents.
umm, 1/3/2006, 3:11:49 PM
I dont see a prob. with it. We have gotten pictures off school events off of facebook before. (With the takers permission)
Linda Morecy, 1/3/2006, 4:57:37 PM
I was wondering, in my town we have less that 700 people, and none of us know what myspace is. Can you tell me. By the way this town is in montana so that should explain alot.
rs, 1/7/2006, 10:53:45 PM
Actually, those photos are not the school's or yours, so you shouldn't be attempting to regulate their usage. Publication of photos has nothing to do with ownership. Based on copyright law, regardless of whose equipment was used or if the photo was on assignment, the photo belongs to the person who took it, because the creator of intellectual property is the automatic owner (unless the work was done for hire, and I'm assuming your students are not paid employees of the school). Those students have the right to post any photos they take wherever they want, and you (or the school) do not have the legal right to stop them.
reader, 1/8/2006, 9:03:39 PM
myspace is like xanga or blogger - a space for anyone to post their thoughts, feelings, rants, etc on an online page. it's basically like a journal online.
Karen V, 1/10/2006, 9:13:09 AM
Annuals are expensive to make and to purchase. Why would students continue to buy them if the pictures are available online months prior to the publishing of the book? I think so much of the value of the book is the fun of finding yourself and your friends in pictures that you may not even have known were taken. It is more then a photo album or a memory you are trying to capture, it is a feeling you are trying to create. Copyright and Intellectual property laws aside, it is not appropriate for yearbook/annual staff members to post pictures of themselves and/or other minors online, especially when they were taken to publish in the book. They should be trying to preserve some of the secrecy that adds to the excitement of the annual.
Additionally, photos and information posted on myspace or similar sites are available anonymously to ANYONE online. Parents of students should be made aware of the dangers of online predators and informed that use is not condoned by you. A behavioral contract is an excellent idea to protect yourself legally. I think this is a very serious matter, but can be handled in a positive way so that it doesn’t seem as if you are trying to put harsh restrictions in place. Focus on getting the students to put as much creative energy into the publication a they put into their myspace accounts!
http://www.computer-tracking.com/myspace.html
Patricia Edmondson, 1/12/2006, 12:32:38 AM
If the person took the pictures as an employee or in a position such as an employee, like a teacher/student situation, the new copyright law speaks very clearly about this. It's considered work for hire which means the photos belong to the school and the annual class. Check the new Millenium Copyright Laws on this. I did and that's what I found out. If the student uses their own camera, then the photos belong to them.
And Kevin, you get it. Thank you. It is important to address this issue without much damage to the graphic designer, who by the way is absolutely fabulous!!!
As for predators, check out the latest work by the Dateline journalist on their web site. It's frightening what they have uncovered and who they have uncovered!!!
Web sites such as MySpace provide warnings about posting copyrighted photos online and are glad to work with you if you find yourself in that situation...and hopefully you won't.
This situation had a happy ending and a new understanding.
Melissa, 1/28/2006, 4:27:29 PM
Whatever the copyright laws are or the argument is the answer seems real simple, automatic F's for anyone who breaks the integrety of the class...yearbook is still a class isn't it? The problem isn't with the copyright laws or myspace or the internet, it's with untrustworthy students. Stop trying to pass the blame to save the "fragil egos" of 17 year olds.
km, 2/1/2006, 9:08:41 PM
Hey, Linda:
Montana is not so backward. My daughter, Montana born and raised, uses myspace and facebook all of the time to keep track of her high school friends post graduation.
Coty , 2/7/2006, 12:23:45 PM
I am the editor of my high school's yearbook, and I would not care at all for staff members to use pictures of themselves. Many of the school's students will send pictures into us, by phone, email, or an actual photo, and some of them have been used elsewhere. I do not think someone should basically upload the entire yearbook to Myspace for others to view; but I do not think a few pictures will matter.
