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MEPs reject controversial copyright law EU's controversial copyright law rejected by parliament
(about 3 hours later)
MEPs have voted to reject a controversial copyright law in its current form, deciding to return to the issue in September. A controversial overhaul of the EU's copyright law that sparked a fierce debate between internet giants and content creators has been rejected.
The law would have put a greater responsibility on individual websites to check for copyright infringements. The proposed rules would have put more responsibility on websites to check for copyright infringements, and forced platforms to pay for linking to news.
But the web's inventor Sir Tim Berners-Lee and others had expressed concerns about the proposed rules, which they said threatened internet freedom. A slew of high-profile music stars had backed the change, arguing that websites had exploited their content.
Opponents greeted the decision as a victory. But opponents said the rules would stifle internet freedom and creativity.
Julia Reda, a Pirate Party MEP who had campaigned against the legislation tweeted: "Great success: Your protests have worked! The European Parliament has sent the copyright law back to the drawing board." The move was intended to bring the EU's copyright laws in line with the digital age, but led to protests from websites and much debate before it was rejected by a margin of 318-278 in the European Parliament on Thursday.
BPI Music, which represents UK record labels, had supported the bill and tweeted: "We respect the decision... we will work with MEPs over the next weeks to explain how the proposed directive will benefit not just European creativity, but also internet users and the technology sector." What were they voting for?
Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales told the BBC he hoped that the music industry could find a way to compromise before the September debate. The proposed legislation - known as the Copyright Directive - was an attempt by the EU to modernise its copyright laws, but it contained two highly-contested parts.
"Don't think about filtering everything everyone uploads to the internet. That's a pipe dream but you are never going to get that," he said. The first of these, Article 11, was intended to protect newspapers and other outlets from internet giants like Google and Facebook using their material without payment.
Instead, he added, they should look to renegotiating deals with platforms such as YouTube to get "fairer remuneration". But it was branded a "link tax" by opponents who feared it could lead to problems with sentence fragments being used to link to other news outlets (like this).
Analysis: Article 13 was the other controversial part. It put a greater responsibility on websites to enforce copyright laws, and would have meant that any online platform that allowed users to post text, images, sounds or code would need a way to assess and filter content.
By Mark Savage, Music reporter The most common way to do this is by using an automated copyright system, but they are expensive. The one YouTube uses cost $60m (£53m), so critics were worried that similar filters would need to be introduced to every website if Article 13 became law.
There were also concerns that these copyright filters could effectively ban things like memes and remixes which use some copyrighted material.
Stars fail to convince politicians
By Mark Savage, music reporter, BBC News
The combined clout of Paul McCartney, Annie Lennox, Placido Domingo and David Guetta wasn't enough to persuade MEPs to make sweeping changes to copyright law.The combined clout of Paul McCartney, Annie Lennox, Placido Domingo and David Guetta wasn't enough to persuade MEPs to make sweeping changes to copyright law.
They were among 1,300 musicians who urged politicians to enact a law forcing sites like YouTube and Facebook to use filters that would stop users illegally uploading their music.They were among 1,300 musicians who urged politicians to enact a law forcing sites like YouTube and Facebook to use filters that would stop users illegally uploading their music.
Musicians were being cheated out of money, they argued, even though websites were making huge profits off their work.Musicians were being cheated out of money, they argued, even though websites were making huge profits off their work.
Critics said the laws would stifle creativity - with Creative Commons chief Ryan Merkley observing that The Beatles would have been prevented from performing cover versions under the proposed rules.Critics said the laws would stifle creativity - with Creative Commons chief Ryan Merkley observing that The Beatles would have been prevented from performing cover versions under the proposed rules.
For you and me, it could have resulted in text, music and videos posted to blogs, social networks and comment sections being yanked from the net at point of upload - somewhat like YouTube's controversial Content ID system on steroids.For you and me, it could have resulted in text, music and videos posted to blogs, social networks and comment sections being yanked from the net at point of upload - somewhat like YouTube's controversial Content ID system on steroids.
In the end, MEPs decided the changes needed more debate; and sent the proposals back to Parliament. The two sides will undoubtedly step up their campaigns in the meantime. In the end, MEPs decided the changes needed more debate; and sent the proposals back to the Commission. The two sides will undoubtedly step up their campaigns in the meantime.
What were they voting for? What has the reaction been?
The Copyright Directive is intended to bring rules around content in line with the digital age. Opponents of the Copyright Directive celebrated the news that MEPs had rejected it.
The two most controversial parts of it are Article 11 and Article 13. Julia Reda, a Pirate Party MEP who had campaigned against the changes, tweeted: "Great success: Your protests have worked! The European Parliament has sent the copyright law back to the drawing board."
The first of these is intended to provide fair remuneration for publishers and prevent online content-sharing platforms and news aggregators sharing links without paying for them. But it has been called the "link tax" by opponents and raised questions about who will have to pay and how much. Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales told the BBC he hoped that the music industry could find a way to compromise before the September debate.
Article 13 puts more onus on websites to enforce copyright laws and could mean that any online platform that allows users to post text, images, sounds or code will need a way to assess and filter content. "Don't think about filtering everything everyone uploads to the internet. That's a pipe dream but you are never going to get that," he said.
Who supported it? Instead, he added, they should look to renegotiating deals with platforms such as YouTube to get "fairer remuneration".
Supporters of the rule changes say they would improve copyright rules, giving intellectual-property protection to news and video content. BPI Music, which represents UK record labels, had supported the bill and said it would "work with MEPs over the next weeks to explain how the proposed directive will benefit not just European creativity, but also internet users".
On Wednesday, Sir Paul McCartney wrote to MEPs urging them to vote in favour of the changes.
"Today, some user-upload content platforms refuse to compensate artists and all music creators fairly for their work while they exploit it for their own profit," reads the letter.
"The proposed Copyright Directive and its Article 13 would address the value gap and help assure a sustainable future for the music ecosystem and its creators, fans and digital music services alike."
Centre-right German MEP Axel Voss was in charge of pushing through the legislation and recently published a video intended to counter what he called "fake news" about the legislation.
Who opposed it?
Critics claim that Article 13 could have a massive impact on how people use the internet, putting paid to memes and remixes.
In particular there are concerns that it will require websites to scan all content being uploaded, automatically blocking anything that might infringe copyright.
The use of artificial intelligence in filters could mean they will not be able to distinguish between content that infringes copyright and fair use, such as satire and memes, they say.
A petition against the change - known as Save Your Internet - had gained 750,000 signatures.
And a letter signed by 70 influential technology leaders, including Vint Cerf and Tim Berners-Lee, described it as an "imminent threat to the future" of the internet.
Italy Wikipedia shut down for a day earlier this week in protest at the plans, which co-founder Jimmy Wales has described as "disastrous".
The editors wrote that "Wikipedia itself would be at risk of closing".
At the time, they said: "If the proposal is approved, it may be impossible to share a newspaper article on social networks or find it on a search engine."