Have you ever taken a photo of the Eiffel Tower at night and shared it on social media?  If yes, you are technically in violation of French copyright law.

An optional EU directive that frees up buildings in public spaces from strict copyright laws was not included into national law by France, Belgium and Italy.  Instead, they chose to keep their more restrictive provisions.

What does this mean for snap-happy travelers?  Well, although daytime photos of the Eiffel Tower are fair game (the copyright on the structure itself has expired), night photos are a different story.  The newer lightshow is still subject to author’s and brand rights.  Any photos of the illuminated tower that are shared in a public forum technically require permission from the copyright holder.

In addition to the night pics of the Eiffel Tower, you are also a law breaker if you posted photos of Copenhagen’s Little Mermaid statue, Belgium’s Atomium and the European Parliament Building.

Although authorities have warned of potential fines, it doesn’t appear that anyone is really after a social media crackdown.   For more information, here is an article from the EUobserver.