The Picture Licensing Universal System Coalition says the PLUS Registry—a resource that promises to connect images, rights holders and rights information—will launch this fall.
The registry will be operated as an industry-neutral nonprofit resource. Those registering will be issued a PLUS-ID, a unique identifier for every rights-holder, image and license; when distributing images, rights-holders will embed these IDs into images to allow image uses to access and manage rights information. In recognition of the global nature of online image distribution, PLUS standards and Registry are designed to support instant automated translation of the rights associated with registered images.
While IDs are embedded in an image, detailed information is housed in the PLUS Registry, where image users can access it. Rights holders control which information to make public and can also assign individual access privileges. Rights holders will also update information as they grant new rights and previously granted rights expire.
In addition to the PLUS-ID, a Digimarc watermak will also be used as a security measure. PicScout’s technology will be used to identify images with lost or removed metadata.
PLUS warns that the registry is not an alternative to copyright registration. Users desiring to register their copyrights in the U.S. will be able to use a Copyright Registration Wizard built into the PLUS Registry, once the Copyright Office allows remote registration.