Video: PPA Fights for Photographers’ Rights: Copyright Reform Advocacy on Capitol Hill | Video courtesy of Professional Photographers of America (PPA) YouTube Channel | 16 August 2025

PPA Pushes for Copyright Modernization to Protect Photographers

Summary by ChatGPT and Reviewed by @DanSmigrod: Recent Efforts on Capitol Hill

The Professional Photographers of America (PPA) is taking decisive action to modernize copyright law for photographers and other visual artists. This month, PPA’s Government Affairs Manager Luc Boulet and Chief Lobbyist Cindy Merrifield met with lawmakers from both sides of the aisle in Washington, D.C. Their goal: to fix an outdated system that discourages photographers from registering their work and leaves them vulnerable to infringement.

With bipartisan support emerging, the initiative seeks to remove long-standing barriers around publication definitions, deposit processes, and registration fees. The proposal—called the Visual Arts Copyright Registration Act—has the potential to impact not only PPA’s 35,000 members but also all creators who rely on fair access to copyright protection.

Top 10 takeaways

1. PPA leaders are actively lobbying in Washington, D.C., meeting with both House and Senate offices to build bipartisan support for reform.

2. Their immediate goal is to secure a lead sponsor in the Senate and another in the House to introduce the proposal as legislation.

3. The current system discourages registration, leaving most photographers unable to claim statutory damages in court. Without registration, creators are limited to actual damages, which are often negligible.

4. Statutory damages for registered works can be as high as $150,000 per infringement, plus attorney’s fees—creating real leverage for photographers facing copyright theft.

5. PPA identifies three major barriers in the current system: outdated publication rules, burdensome deposit requirements, and prohibitive fees.

6. The definition of “publication” hasn’t been updated since 1976. PPA proposes replacing it with the creation date of the work, making it straightforward and internet-era appropriate.

7. The Copyright Office’s deposit system is ill-suited to handle today’s high-volume digital photography. PPA is pushing for modernized deposit processes that can scale effectively.

8. Current registration costs—$55 for up to 750 images—translate into about $2,500 annually for a professional photographer. PPA’s proposal seeks to use technology to lower costs and streamline the process.

9. PPA has submitted a detailed five-page proposal, the Visual Arts Copyright Registration Act, outlining specific legislative and administrative solutions.

10. The broader goal is to bring more creators into the registration system—strengthening protections not just for photographers, but also for illustrators, graphic designers, and other visual artists.

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Dan