Picture on Telkom's homepage

I like to express my disappointment in your column about PT Telkom Research & Technology section's unprofessional attitude, which became apparent when they displayed one of my photos on their homepage (http://www.telkom.co.id/webpro/3product/multitel.htm) without my permission or without any prior notice to me about the matter.

The picture, featuring a woman using a sophisticated videophone, is one I sent to the photo committee of the Cermin Diri Telkom (Telkom image) contest last year. We know, even if terms are amiss at any contest, pictures cannot be used at will by the committee (unless they were used as a result of the contest).

Could it mean that the results of the photo contest were not very accurate, since PT Telkom did not use any of the prize pictures for its advertising?

The case reminds us of the illegal use of the picture 'Wisudawati kehujanan' (Wisudawati caught in the rain) for a national film ad. This act brought the Advertising Bureau and the Film Company into court.

In the present case, the picture was published on a homepage on the Internet, which the public and the whole world has free access to. The irony of it is that it should have happened while PT Telkom was in the midst of popularizing the "Nusantara 21" (archipelago 21) concept in response to globalizing communications and today's technology information (including copyrights?).

All proof in the form of (a) printout results from the homepage (b) contest catalog of Cermin diri Telkom, (c) contact print, and (d) sample copies of the 4R pictures, are attached to this letter as authentic proof. I hold PT Telkom responsible for this incident and I am expecting their reply.

RM ROY SURYO

Yogyakarta