Don’t get IP law advice from a security guard…

January 8, 2005 | Intellectual Property | By: Mark VandeWettering

Those clever people at BoingBoing give a link to a story about a little girl who was asked to stop sketching famous paintings hanging in an art museum because the paintings were copyrighted. Sigh.

The story had a happier ending though:

Actually, the museum guard was mistaken. There was no copyright issue, and the museum apologizes and is telling artists to sketch away as long as they do not interrupt the flow of traffic in the always crowded gallery.

Nice that it was resolved. It was a pity that an eleven year old was kept from sketching in her notebook because of the incorrect actions of a security guard. These impromptu attempts at law enforcement (or percieved law enforcement) seem to be increasing to irritating levels.

Comments

Comment from Cowicide
Time 1/8/2005 at 11:13 pm

Despite the fact that the gallery did later turn around and “correct” the situation…

I think the article does “draw” attention to the fact there is a lot of ignorance about copyright law. And perhaps, all the “huffin’ and puffin'” in Washington stoked by lobbyists (and now relayed via Washington by the media) is beginning to infiltrate the public’s thoughts on this.

I wonder how often things like this happen without it reaching the media? Where young minds are thwarted by such ignorance? The child could have easily have just closed her little book and moved on without any of us knowing. I fear that’s happening more than we know.