Recently, my PUB 101 class explored the complex subject of copyright in class, which is something that photographers like me find very interesting. Although I have never had a good grasp of copyright laws I understanding the complexities of copyright law is critical for digital producers seeking to protect their work and enforce their rights.
All I know about copyright is that it acts as both a shield and a sword for photographers. It protects our creative endeavours against unauthorised use or exploitation, giving us complete control over how our photographs are shared and monetized. However, I never understood how it’s enforced. Say I have an image I took and posted on social media, whats there to stop someone from taking my photo and profiting off it? How and to whom would I need to prove that it’s my photo? This never quite made sense to me…
In class we also discussed the copyright implications that are coming with the fast growth of AI art online. We came into concerns involving automated picture generation and replication. Since AI can easily copy, combine, and change images without proper credit or any regard for copyright. I find this pretty scary because although AI-powered technologies are providing new avenues for creation, they also raise growing worries about copyright infringement and ethical issues .
Overall this class discussion peaked my curiosity. How will copyright law respond to this quickly changing landscape? Can we figure out a method to keep artists safe while allowing AI to thrive as a creative tool? The future of art and text ownership appears to be wide open, with AI playing a crucial part with these growing issues.