Copyright? Copywrong!

The drafting of the new EU Copyright Directive has been heavily criticized by civil society organizations, industry associations, renowned academics and research institutions. Articles 11 (the so-called “snippet tax”) and Article 13 have been particularly contentious. Under Article 13, Internet platforms would be held legally responsible for any user uploads, potentially leading to the widespread adoption of intrusive content recognition technologies that monitor and filter at the point of upload. This proposal has piqued the interest of UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression David Kaye, who argues that such measures will subject users to restrictions without prior judicial review. The legislative process is ongoing, with a Parliament Plenary vote potentially taking place in July 2018.