When I tell students in my blog and RSS workshops that I have set up a number of “ego feeds” (feeds that search on my name and blog address so I can read what others are saying about me) I usually receive some titters from the crowd. But, in all honesty, this is the only way I’ll ever know how what I’ve published online is being received and (re)used. In this case, a Bloglines citation search on my blog’s URL that led me to this PBS blog post shown to the right.
The post is a long one about how people are rude when it comes to cell phone use in today’s society. Something I do agree with. In it are comments from many others about when and where cell phone use is appropriate. In about the middle of the post someone writes “And in the worst-of-the-worst category, don’t use a cell phone… While in the library.” Next to this text is a copy of a recent photo I took in Wichita, KS of a sign from Friends University that states “Please turn off cell phones in the library”.
The use of my photo is a mostly legitimate one as it follows most of the rules of the Creative Commons license I assign to all of my photos: Attribution (I’m given credit at the end of the post), Noncommercial (It’s a PBS blog, we’re cool there), and Share Alike (Well, they don’t exactly pass along this license, but they don’t specifically change the license either. A link to the photo on flickr would have done this but instead they linked to my blog. Eh, close enough for me.) However, this not where my complaint lies.
Where I have a problem is that the use of my photo implies (to me, let me know if it doesn’t to you) that I agree with the statement that the photo is illustrating. Those of you who know me (or at least read my blog) know that I’m not in agreement with policies that ban cell phones from libraries. I agree with banning bad behavior, which may or may not involve a cell phone, but not with banning the technology because people are rude. Sure, ban them in theaters since talking has been banned. But unless you’re banning talking from your library, there’s no logical reason to ban cell phones.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m flattered that a blogger at PBS felt my photo worthy of inclusion, and I don’t want this post to cause the blogger to feel that the photo should be removed. The point of this post is two-fold. First, to point out to readers of the PBS post that I do not agree with the comments made in association with my photograph. Second, to remind people that do follow my advice to post their photos to flickr and let others use them, that once you do so, you will loose some control over your work and need to be able to live with that.
Interesting post, Michael. I’ve written extensively about Flickr and Creative Commons photo use:
http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/2006/10/digging_deepercreative_commons.html
Though I didn’t cover this instance, where a photo is used under the rules but the context is not to the photographer’s liking. I’m happy to change the link to your Flickr page if you want.
I still don’t understand why cell phone use should be allowed in libraries. To me, libraries are meant to be quiet zones for contemplation, not places for loud conversations with people in other places.
Nah, go ahead and leave the link as it is. I suppose I’d rather have people read my blog than just go look at my photos anyway.
As for the cell phones in libraries issue, those of us who oppose banning them feel that those who favor banning them are trying to ban a technology to solve a behavioral problem. If you allowing talking in the library (as most libraries do these days with “quiet areas” being the exception, not the rule) then you should allow cell phones.
If someone is being loud and/or obnoxious then they should be asked to stop with escalating punishment. This should occur if the person is on a cell phone or not. The person is the problem, not the cell phone.
The concept that libraries are meant to be “quiet zones for contemplation” is, sadly for some, a dated concept. Go into your local public library and see. Granted, it is generally quieter than your average Barnes & Noble, but librarians no longer sushes anyone who speaks above a whisper.
I don’t think that the use of the photo implies your agreeing with the use it is put to, but I’d agree this is a very interesting issue.
I convinced a faculty member at my college to release a bunch of photos he took under a CC license, and made pains to point out to him that his photos of China could conceivably be used by an anti-Chinese hate group, and he would have no recourse (assuming they held up the license).
I’d say that MediaShift should have linked back to the Flickr photo page rather than this blog, because just linking to this blog doesn’t make it clear that the photo has a CC license.
Cell phones probably can’t be effectively disallowed, though they do present a problem in and of themselves, apart from how people are using them. They have ringtones, for one – some of them fairly loud and obnoxious. Also, while there are exceptions, people do tend to speak louder on the phone. Isn’t this familiar: “Hello? (pause) I’m at the library! THE LIBRARY!” etc.
I wouldn’t be in favor of outlawing a technology that someone might depend upon, or that could be critical in an emergency, but I also want to preserve a quiet area; cell phones, and the people who use them, are not always easy to deal with.
I’m in the same boat as you. I really don’t want to stop people from using my pictures… I just get weary when they use them in articles such as:
http://pittsburgh.metblogs.com/archives/2007/02/how_not_to_breed_nerds.phtml
or the one that really upset me:
http://www.librarystuff.net/2007/10/04/progress-on-my-librarian-embroidery/
I’m on the verge of changing my license to all rights reserved.