eCO Update - Group Registrations

One of the biggest problems with the U.S. Copyright Office's Electronic Copyright Office system of accepting uploaded content online is that they haven't been able to take group registrations - that is, registrations of a group of published images made over a period of time (but within the same calendar year). Now, they seem to be headed towards a solution.

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According to the January 24th Federal Register (here) (red emphasis added):

The Copyright Office is adopting interim regulations governing the electronic submission of applications for registration of automated databases that predominantly consist of photographs, and applications for group registration of published photographs. This interim rule establishes a testing period and pilot program during which the Copyright Office will assess the desirability and feasibility of permanently allowing such applications to be submitted through the Copyright Office's electronic filing system (“eCO”). Persons wishing to submit electronic applications to register copyrights of such photographic databases or of groups of published photographs should contact the Visual Arts Division for permission and guidance on electronic registration.

This is, of course, excellent news, because for many photographers, registering their published images online, when limited to images produced on just one day, or just one assignment, was cost-prohibitive and burdensome logistically.

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Related Posts

• 9/25/07 - A Walk Through the Copyright Office
  
• 7/8/08 - Form VA being phased out
  

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