In yet another blow to internet giants, especially the likes of Google and Facebook, the EU has now approved tougher copyright rules, which would stop internet companies to show content from various creative professionals/agencies without proper licensing.
According to these news laws, the likes of Google and Facebook will have to sign licensing agreements with various musicians, performers, authors, news publishers and journalists to use their work. The EU, through this ruling is trying to protect the over $1 Trillion creative industries in the union, which employ close to 11.7 Million people, reported Reuters.
These newer laws are resulted of an engaging battle that has put the continent’s creative industries in a head-to-head battle with tech companies. According to a report from Reuters, Wikipedia blacked out several European sites in protest last month. The change in ruleswas opposed by Finland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland and Sweden. But 19 countries, including France and Germany, endorsed the revamp, while Belgium, Estonia and Slovenia abstained. Those opposing it, are largely lobbying for tech companies, since these companies have opened registered office in these countries to evade taxes globally.
As these newer set of rules come into force, Google and its owned platforms will now have to put in filters so as to prevent users from uploading pictures of copyrighted work.
Google said the new rules would hurt Europe’s creative and digital economies, while critics said it would hit cash-strapped smaller companies rather than the tech giants.
