Copyright warning on internet photo sharing

Web encyclopedia Wiki­media has warned that taking photos of historic or modern buildings or contemporary works of art and posting them on most internet sites is illegal if you have not asked permission or paid copyright to do so.

While the European Union allows Freedom of Pano­rama so photos of buildings and public art are not copyrighted, France restricted this so it did not apply to photos used on sites with a commercial character.

France Wikimédia head Nath­alie Martin said: “90% of the internet is regarded as commercial, including Face­book and Wikimedia, and we want total freedom of panorama.

“Many of the works concerned were built with public money yet we are not allowed to take photos and then use them on the internet.”

She added that last summer’s Loi Création also restricted people’s right to take photos of historic buildings such as Versailles and “effectively privatises what should be in the public domain. It is scandalous.”

Penalties reach three years’ jail and a €300,000 fine and it plans a website this month on the law.

The Culture Ministry did not reply when asked.