Is Photographing Animals Illegal?

March 10th, 2011 by Sergio Muñoz Sarmiento

Some in Florida seem to believe it should be so. Or do they? Seems to me that what the proposed Florida law would hinder would be nothing more than trespass.The proposed Florida bill states that any person caught entering a farm or agricultural property commits a first degree felony. A first-degree felony in Florida is punishable by up to 30 years in prison, 30 years probation, and a $10,000 fine.

Constitutional? Perhaps not if it’s meant to stifle free speech. What about enforcement via property releases? Maybe this is all the law does; give farmers a “right of publicity” over their farm animals. But aren’t some of the farm animals viewable from public space? Would that matter?

More via The Florida Tribune here. A huge thanks to our friend Jenn Neilson for the heads up on this one.

Posted in Copyright, Criminal | 2 comments

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  1. mamartinez:

    March 10th, 2011 at 9:38 pm

    When the non-human animals are being sodomized, hit with clubs, run over with tractors, rammed into with other heavy machinery — i.e. when they are being “cared for” by farmers — this is usually out of sight, away from public view. This law is nothing but a bald attempt to stop people from documenting and revealing everyday animal abuse.

  2. mamartinez:

    March 22nd, 2011 at 3:38 pm

    Also IA: http://www.kcci.com/r/27226984/detail.html