EU backs tough new laws to enforce copyright online

MEP
Axel Voss celebrates after the vote on new digital copyright
laws.
REUTERS/Vincent
Kessler

• The European Parliament has backed legislation that would
  support much tougher laws on copyright online.
• The laws are an updated version of legislation that was
  rejected in July, and which was widely criticised for being too
  sweeping.
• Amendments to make the so-called “link tax” less
  comprehensive and to exempt smaller platforms from having to
  filter content have been included.
• Despite the amendments, some still view the laws as hindering
  freedom of expression online.

The European Parliament has backed legislation to get tough with
online copyright infringement.

The original version of the new laws was
rejected in July after widespread criticism. Most contentious
were article 13, which would force platforms such as Reddit and
Facebook to identify and censor uploaded content that breaches
copyright, and article 11 or the so-called “link tax,” which
would require companies like Google to hold licences for linking
to publishers. Article 13 in particular was seen as
a threat to the existence of memes.

On Wednesday, however, an amended version of the reforms was
voted through 438 votes to 226, with 39 abstentions.

“Tech giants must pay for work of artists and journalists which
they use,” the
European Parliament announced in a statement which outlined
its new position. 

The “link tax” portion of the legislation has been amended so
that just sharing hyperlinks to articles along with “individual
word” to describe them will not be penalised.

Amendments have also been made over fears that the reforms might
disproportionately penalise smaller platforms that might not be
able to afford the technology required to effectively police
copyright infringement, a fear which was voiced by Wikipedia
founder Jimmy Wales back in July.

“In an attempt to encourage start-ups and innovation, the text
now exempts small and micro platforms from the directive,” the EU
announced. It also made clear that online encyclopedias such as
Wikipedia and GitHub would be exempt.

After the vote German MEP Axel Voss, who was responsible for
putting the legislation together, expressed his jubilance at the
vote passing.  “I am very glad that despite the very strong
lobbying campaign by the internet giants, there is now a majority
in the full house backing the need to protect the principle of
fair pay for European creatives,” he said in a statement.

However, some still remain opposed to the laws, including MEP
Julia Reda, who called the EU endorsement “a severe blow to the
free and open internet.”

Jimmy Wales did not immediately voice any concrete opinion on the
legislation, but instead said in a tweet that he was taking time
to reflect on it.

The legislation still faces a final vote in January 2019, and
individual member states will then have to implement their
version of it.