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Updated note – the final vote rejected this measure! https://www.politico.eu/article/european-parliament-votes-to-block-copyright-reform/
European residents and citizens. The EU has just passed Rejected a new law and the full effect and weight of such has not yet been felt on the internet on your side of the water. GDPR was a hassle but understandable. Now Article 13 that was just passed into law will change the way the internet works (at least on the EU side of things)
Say goodbye to sharing quotations, news posts, or even linking to them. Memes and more will change – at least on the EU side of things. Article 13 just passed on June 20th 2018 by the European Union – requires filtering, censorship and control of information being uploaded, posted, linked or shared on all EU platforms.
USA started this mess with the FCC being influenced by corporations, now the EU is passing much of the same.
The internet will no longer be the fair, free exchange of ideas and opinion. It is being taken over by Governments and Corporations that want to control content, opinion, and news.
- Want to share your favorite song lyric in an email, post online in a forum, or share on social media?
You just broke the law. - Want to share a funny picture you saw on the internet?
You just broke the law. - You upload a picture into Facebook? Facebook has the rights to use your images (according to the agreement you said yes to when you joined Facebook)
Share that image on another platform?
You just broke the law. (*potentially). (Even though it is your image, Automated Content Filtering is indiscriminate and unforgiving.)https://www.howtogeek.com/304037/ does-facebook-own-my-photos /https://eur-lex.europa.eu/ legal-content/EN/ALL/ ?uri=CELEX%3A52016PC0593Europe needs to protest this and get it changed!
Why is this important? Content filters and monitored uploads is tough technology to start with and causes a LOT of false positives and is a huge issue on mega platforms like YouTube.com where revenue and copyright has caused so much issue that someone can upload static, and get copyright strikes. https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-42580523 (not making this up)
This issue is going to be huge when what we have in this article is going to be considered a violation of that same law. Thankfully I am writing this in the USA. LINKING to an article or news story will be a violation of this law, where at the minimum a fee or fine will have to be paid to the owner of the content. Copyright protection on a URL will fundamentally change the way the internet works. Software has to be installed to filter, block or prevent links, images, videos, pdfs, and so forth that MAY be copyright property of another. This changes blogs, op ed, social media and so much more. There was great opposition to this law but it passed anyway in the flawed form. This law takes nothing into account of existing copyright law, fair use, parody and so forth.
This law seems to be about control of information and will reshape the internet in the EU.
USA needs to keep pressuring Congress, Senate and FCC to put Net Neutrality back to protect the freedom, and fair exchange of ideas, information and content. European Law – Article 13 does not comply with Copyright laws already in place. It is a new system of control and violations will be selected in an automated way.
EU residents and citizens can protest using this link below.
https://
US residents and citizens can protest using this link below.
https://
(Update notes) – It is good to see that common sense prevailed at the final vote on this new law. It is sad to see how close this came to being passed still. The final vote was dramatically against the reform and showed opposition was strong. This type of prevention of badly written laws needs to keep trending in the world to help keep the internet open and free.
This article is written as the express opinion of Joseph Dispensa and does not necessarily reflect the opinion or policy of Sneaker Web Design.
Is your company located in the EU and you want assistance to comply with GDPR or Article 13? Contact us today and find out how we can assist with this issue for your website or organization online. We have an international reach and can assist with legal advice by putting you in contact with our expert legal team.
