Link Tax (Copyright in the Digital Single Market Directive)

[chris]

This is absolutely fascinating, but a disclaimer up-front that I don't understand it completely.

In a stunning rejection of the will of five million online petitioners, and over 100,000 protestors this weekend, the European Parliament has abandoned common-sense and the advice of academics, technologists, and UN human rights experts, and approved the Copyright in the Digital Single Market Directive in its entirety.

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/03/eus-parliament-signs-disastrous-internet-law-what-happens-next

From what I understand, "The Copyright in the Digital Single Market Directive" is a type of law that would turn a lot of the web upside down, preventing linking to content. You may have heard it recently referred to as the "link tax".

The European Council described their key goals as ways to reduce the amount of conflict related to copyright violation. One of their goals is to reduce the "value gap" between the profits made by internet platforms and content creators, which involves requiring financial agreement before they can use their content. Another one of their goals is to encourage "collaboration" between companies and people who use their products.

<snip>

Article 11 has been criticised as a "link tax" which would require websites to obtain a license before linking to and previewing (using html snippets) news stories, and Article 13 as a "meme ban".

https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Directive_on_Copyright_in_the_Digital_Single_Market

 

[nt81]

Just another case of what happens when you let a central banking system get its hands on everything you do.

...And the Australian government watching with great interest in how best they can f*ck up technology here by copying it.

 

[chris]

Just another case of what happens when you let a central banking system get its hands on everything you do.

...And the Australian government watching with great interest in how best they can f*ck up technology here by copying it.

Let's hope not, but anything is possible.

So much for the open web.

 

[nt81]

The few that come to the front of my mind :

USA - Net Neutrality = Borked
Added ^ USA Checking people's devices and requesting passcodes at the border even if a citizen.
EU - GDPR so that we can tax people for linking to websites.
Russia - In motherland we start own internet (coming soon)
China - Firewalled because why let people know the atrocities you've committed.
Australia - Just fknlol encryption busting and jailing CEO's and scaring away most tech companies from even employing aussies.

#clusterfuck because politicians got involved.

 

[chris]

scaring away most tech companies from even employing aussies.

^^^ this

 

[nt81]

I'd be willing to wager a GDPR style agreement being weasled into Aussie politics in the next 2 years or less.