Copyright: Succeed this time with the Reform?

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Nothing less than the freedom of the Internet in the EU Parliament in Strasbourg. Artists and publishers want to see their content protected, and activists warn of censorship. Nevertheless, a compromise could succeed.

It is the last string to be in a year long feud between artists and Internet companies: The European Parliament in Strasbourg will vote on Changes to the EU copyright to arrive after the last Reform in 2001, now finally in the digital age.

Two provisions was particularly acute: article 11, which governs the rights of press publishers (so-called EU-performance protection rights), and article 13, the Internet companies for Copyright infringements by users of their platforms to account. Critics say the former is not feasible – the German Version of the law was never really implemented – and the fear of the latter that he would lead to the use of the upload filter, with the Internet giant would be in control of what content appears on your platform and which are not. In both articles, the fronts are hardening – and in what Form they ultimately will be decided, is completely open: The deputies in Strasbourg voted on a number of Amendments that could bring a compromise in the last Minute.

A Rapper makes mobile

If the Reform is adopted in the current version, the fear of critics that it would be contrary to the fundamental principle of a free Internet and how the Rapper Wyclef Jean says, it is the users of heavy would do to discover new art and talent. Jean, who had become a member of the American Hip-Hop Band “The Fugees”, and his supporters fear that legal content might be censored, because the automatic filters in borderline cases, the non-intelligent could consider whether, in fact, a copyright violation.

Therefore, critics warn of a possible “over blocking”, which, in such borderline cases, as a precautionary measure would be censored – in fact, parodies, Satire, and quotations allowed, could be locked. In addition, they point to the high cost, the need to also carry smaller platforms for such technical upgrades.

Of such error messages in the case of Youtube, users can recall in Germany is still good

“I have worked with so many young artists ( … ) who have sampled my music, and so successfully,” said Wyclef Jean in a press conference in the European Parliament. “Upload filters, and other things that prevent something, prevent, to shape the future.”

Freedom means respect

Since the first foray in 2016, which was rejected by the parliamentarians, the copyright issue has become a battle field. On the one hand, some artists and publishers that want to prevent Internet platforms in mind, their works provide and lure users to their platforms, without having to pay for it. On the other hand, Internet activists, who see in the vaguely worded law, the freedom of expression designs in the network are threatened.

However, it is not that artists are closed for the reform design are: Jean-Claude Moreau, the Chairman of the French society of authors, composers and music publishers, said he would rather have no regulation than a bad regulation. “Freedom means that we must also respect the authors, the need to be able to live as the author of their work,” said Moreau at a rally in front of the Parliament building. “We want that the Internet is an accelerator and no brake.”

Room for a compromise?

In Strasbourg, will be debated more than 200 Amendments to close, perhaps, but still a compromise between the ideas of copyright and the Rights of users.

“I think the last Time most of the deputies rejected the proposal because of article 13, because you thought it was not a good idea for content is to be scanned before Upload,” said the German MEP Tiemo Wölken (SPD). “And if a rights holder wishes to conclude with a platform license agreement, you must agree to the platform of a fair and reasonable license agreement.”

His work is up for debate: EU Parliament Axel Voss (CDU) has prepared the final version of the draft resolution

Alone, the number of the amendment proposals makes it difficult to predict how the law will ultimately look like. Nevertheless, the legislators are cautiously optimistic that it will be accepted at the end. Wölken assumes that the German members of the European Parliament, Axel Voss (CDU), for the final version of the law responsible, will fight for a compromise. “To be honest, since the solutions on the table,” said Wölken. “He just needs to combine the solutions together in order to develop a proposal that would be accepted by the majority of the Parliament.” After that, the law is before the EU Council of Ministers would be, to be then confirmed by Parliament.

Whether it is the last word in matters of copyright law is spoken of, it remains to be seen.