This petition was submitted during the 2010-2015 parliament
Petition Change in law to give protection to freelance journalists under 1988 Copyright, Designs and Patents Act
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Under Section 77(1) of the 1988 Copyright, Designs and Patents Act the author of a copyright literary, dramatic, musical or artistic work “has the right to be identified as the author or director of the work” in certain circumstances.
Under section 79(6) of the act the law states that the right to be named as author does not apply to “a newspaper, magazine or similar periodical”.
Using this loophole newspapers frequently take freelancer copy, some of which has taken much time and effort to source, research and write, and publish it under a different name - usually one of their own staff members.
I am asking for a change in the law whereby if a journalist asserts their right to be named as the author of their work, the law protects that right.
This petition closed early because of a General Election
28 signatures
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10,000 signatures required to get a government response