UK Environment Agency in HidingOnly a few days ago the United Kingdom Environment Agency launched a program offering unpaid work to amateur and student photographers. If you missed this story you can catch up here. They seem to have been completely unaware that that such action is hugely damaging to the photography industry, and that it would result in condemnation from bodies representing photographers such as the Association of Photographers and Pro-Imaging. It has also been reported at length by the British Journal of Photography and we thank them for bringing this issue to light.On Tuesday 19th January Pro-Imaging advised photographers to visit the Environment Agency's Facebook page where their 'job offer' was posted and to give their comments about this to the Environment Agency. Many did, the comments were not offensive, just very critical that a government agency should launch an initiative which undermines an important part of the creative industry. Amazingly, the Environment Agency responded by removing their Facebook presence. Before carrying such drastic action they decided just to delete all the comments and hope that would be enough to calm the storm. However, following the deletion, as soon as a new comment appeared they decided to cut and run, the UK Environment Agency no longer exist on Facebook. One of our members, anticipating that the Environment Agency might delete comments, took a snapshot of the Environment Agency's Facebook page just before the comments were deleted. Click these links to read what the Environment Agency tried to prevent you from reading. Environment Agency Facebook Link 1 Environment Agency Facebook Link 2 After these comments had been deleted another Pro-Imaging member added a new comment, we don't have a snapshot of the Facebook page for this one, but we kept an exact copy of the comment - it said;
A few minutes after this comment was posted the Environment Agency decided they could no longer face the criticism and removed themselves from Facebook. For a public agency to conduct themselves in such a disgraceful manner is shocking and as far as we know, without precedent. This is certainly not the end of the matter and this issue will be pursued. Both Pro-Imaging and the Association of Photographers agree that the Environment Agency's attempt to obtain free photography is very damaging to our industry and an unethical way for a public agency to conduct its business. Further news will be published as this story progresses. Stop Press!! 20 January 2010 10:30 The UK Environment Agency have re-appeared on Facebook, read the latest news on this story. |
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