A year ago, the City of Toronto ran a photo-rights-grabbing effort disguised as a photo contest. The city is now running another photo contest. Let’s take a look.
The good news is that this contest has a big statement about copyright. It says the photographer will “retain full rights and ownership of their photos.” If any use is required beyond the contest, the city will negotiate with the photographer. Perfect.
And now the bad news. The rules state that every picture submitted to the contest becomes public record. Public record => almost public domain => photographer loses some rights and ownership of their photos.
The prizes are very minimal. Who wants to win lunch with Toronto’s General Manager of Transportation Services? Who wants a City of Toronto certificate? Prizes also include a magazine subscription (a $22 value), a gift certificate that can be used to buy a magazine subscription and a t-shirt, and your name on a vanity street sign.
Certainly this contest is aimed at amateurs. But why take advantage of them like this?
Why not have prizes like: no property taxes for a year, no utility bills for a year, one-year TTC transit passes, a year’s free parking at any city-owned parking lot.
