NPG Round-Up - Rhea Myers

People are blogging legal analyses of the NPG situation and they broadly agree with my understanding that the law in England is a mess that can be clarified by Bridgeman vs. Corel. ;-)

Technollama -

http://www.technollama.co.uk/national-portrait-gallery-copyright-row

Lawclanger -

http://lawclanger.blogspot.com/2009/07/its-not-often-that-copyright-cases-get.html

Art Law Blog -

http://theartlawblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/bridgeman-two.html

It’s important to note that the database right claim and the unauthorised access claim are apparently as flimsy as the copyright claim, and that Bridgeman vs. Corel is relevant.

And here’s an anecdotal but damning opinion on the NPG’s behaviour as a licensor from someone who claims to be in the publishing industry -

http://blog.wikimedia.org/2009/07/16/protecting-the-public-domain-and-sharing-our-cultural-heritage/#comment-1416

(Thanks to Glyn Moody and David Gerard for many of the links.)