Photographers need to stay focused on Capitol Hill these days, as copyright is a hot topic. In fact, two key pieces of legislation were recently introduced in the U.S. Senate in an effort to bring copyright law up to date with the advances in digital technology:

• S. 986 - The Preventing Real Online Threats to Economic Creativity and Theft of Intellectual Property Act (The PROTECT IP Act)
• S. 978 - a bill that increases the criminal penalties associated with online copyright infringement.

"Photographers are all too familiar with digital theft," notes David Trust, PPA's chief executive officer. "Even if a client isn't misusing the image files, the mere presence of an image online increases the odds that someone can find it and steal it. While not a 'cure-all,' these new Senate bills strengthen the enforcement side of the law, creating much-needed deterrents to keep infringing hands off your work." Read more here.