How often do you post pictures on social networks or online? Worried about the social networks privacy policies? Well the UK just passed a law to trump the lot.

The Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act got passed by U.K. regulators last week despite the fact it gives Silicon Valley tech companies the right to exploit users’ images. Yes you read that correctly.

The Act amends a U.K. copyright law that allows commercial exploitation of images when the owner isn’t identified. Called “orphan works,” these images fall under “extended collective licensing,” and there are untold numbers of orphan images on the Internet, thanks to the common practice of stripping away metadata and other info. From the looks of it, simply uploading the photo or illustration to your own Facebook, Instagram or Flickr account doesn’t satisfy ownership claims. People have to proactively and intentionally register their images, and there’s only one place to do that in the U.K. The only other alternative to protect these works? Remove them off the Internet.

What’s even more startling is that the Act doesn’t just give companies permission to use the images as they see fit. In some cases, they can also act as if they actually own the work, which can open up resale or wholesale revenue. And the rightful owner will see none of the profits from that. It’s not even clear if they’ll get attribution.

The law ceases to amaze me at times. What’s your views on this new bit of legislation?