So, this Sunday me and Jeanine went to Brussels to attend a pharmaceutical conference, which was pretty close to the most famous Belgian landmark, the Atomium.
I would have loved to share some pictures of the Atomium, but apparently it's illegal for me to do so, unless I contact the Atomium foundation and ask permission beforehand. Then, I'd have to wait a couple of days and would also have to pay for using the photograph, since I earn money with this blog.
The rules for using the photographs, even after you've asked permission are just plain ridiculous, I'll share a short excerpt from their website.
Any individual may use the image of the Atomium; a request for authorisation must firstly be submitted to Atomium asbl or to SOFAM, and the image must meet the following conditions :
- the image of the Atomium is not to be used in a negative context (in relation to racist or anti-democratic slogans, and so on).
- the image of the Atomium is not to be misrepresented, distorted or inappropriately used (for example, it may not be shown being destroyed in an explosion).
Unauthorized use will lead to a fine of around 120 euros. Since it would be very easy to tie this blog to my identity, I'm pretty sure that I would get fined immediately, since this organization is known for going after people who publish pictures of the Atomium.
I've noticed that there are some great public domain images of the Atomium on Pixabay, but even with those I'd rather not take any chances. I just wanted to make this small post to show my disgust for these draconian rules, regarding the copyright of a freaking building.
If you ever visit Belgium, don't bother going to the Atomium, it's really not worth it for multiple reasons. The surrounding area is very uninteresting and the inside of the Atomium isn't worth it either.