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<blockquote data-quote="WayneF" data-source="post: 270458" data-attributes="member: 12496">Oops!&nbsp; My notion is this:Of course, anyone, including the image thief, can simply buy your image(s) for $35.&nbsp; Nothing stops them from simply registering your image with the copyright office.&nbsp;&nbsp; No proof is required, possession is the proof. They fill out a form and send the image and $35 to the copyright office.&nbsp;&nbsp; Then if a case goes to court, YOU pay court costs and damages to defend their copyright.&nbsp;&nbsp; Without registration, copyright (by creation) is just one word against the other (i.e., protection is imaginary since the court will not listen).&nbsp; The idea of registration is it is hard proof of date of ownership claim, good unless earlier claim surfaces.&nbsp;&nbsp; If they copyrighted your image a couple of years ago, and you show up now claiming it is yours, guess which way the law goes.&nbsp; You had your unique early opportunity, but you blew it.If you have work of imagined worth, it would seriously behoove you to register it at the earliest possible opportunity.&nbsp;&nbsp; You can register a CD full of images for $35.&nbsp; That CD remains in the Library of Congress, and is formal proof of your ownership date (unless earlier claim is made).&nbsp; Date of registration is pretty much the whole idea.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="WayneF, post: 270458, member: 12496"] Oops! My notion is this: Of course, anyone, including the image thief, can simply buy your image(s) for $35. Nothing stops them from simply registering your image with the copyright office. No proof is required, possession is the proof. They fill out a form and send the image and $35 to the copyright office. Then if a case goes to court, YOU pay court costs and damages to defend their copyright. Without registration, copyright (by creation) is just one word against the other (i.e., protection is imaginary since the court will not listen). The idea of registration is it is hard proof of date of ownership claim, good unless earlier claim surfaces. If they copyrighted your image a couple of years ago, and you show up now claiming it is yours, guess which way the law goes. You had your unique early opportunity, but you blew it. If you have work of imagined worth, it would seriously behoove you to register it at the earliest possible opportunity. You can register a CD full of images for $35. That CD remains in the Library of Congress, and is formal proof of your ownership date (unless earlier claim is made). Date of registration is pretty much the whole idea. [/QUOTE]

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