EU votes on copyright law that could kill memes and open source software

The European Union has passed an initial vote in favour of the Copyright Directive, a legislation experts say "threatens the internet". 

As reported by Wired, the mandate is designed to update internet copyright law but contains two controversial clauses. Ultimately, it could force prominent online platforms to censor their users' content before it's posted—which could impact everyone from meme creators to open source software designers and livestreamers. 

Despite passing a vote yesterday—held by the EU's Legal Affairs Committee (JURI)—the directive needs parliamentary approval before becoming law. 

And while much of the directive seems well-intended, Article 11 and Article 13 are considered problematic by critics. As told by The Verge, the former is a "link tax" which could force the likes of Google and Facebook to buy licenses from media companies before linking to their content. The latter, on the other hand, is an "upload filter" which would require everything uploaded online in the EU to be checked for copyright infringement prior to posting.  

To this end, the Copyright Directive primarily aims to prevent music, video and online streams from being pirated, but instead casts a net over all copyrightable material. Wired gives internet memes as an example, whereby viral sharing would become illegal under the new proposed rules. 

The Verge reports over 70 experts in relative fields oppose the proposal, including World Wide Web inventor Tim Berners-Lee and Mozilla executive chairwoman Mitchell Baker. 

This letter, sent to both the European Commission and European Parliament, argues that the directive's Article 13 "takes an unprecedented step towards the transformation of the Internet from an open platform for sharing and innovation, into a tool for the automated surveillance and control of its users." 

Green MEP Julia Reda and Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales expressed similar reservations to journalists via Reuters.  

Again, while having passed an initial vote, the legislation still requires parliamentary approval to become law. Exact dates for further negotiations, parliamentary agreements and a final vote are yet to be determined. 

The Save Your Internet initiative provides more information till then. Likewise, the original European Commission proposal for a Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market can be read here.

Deputy Editor, PC Gaming Show
Latest in Gaming Industry
Monster Hunter Wilds' stockpile master studying a manifest
As layoffs and studio closures continue to deathroll the western AAA industry, analyst points out 5 of 8 major Japanese companies hit all-time share prices this year
A still from a video announcement of Game Informer's return, featuring the magazine's Halo 2 issue.
Game Informer is back from the dead: 'The whole team has returned'
Typing on internet search toolbar: What am I doing?
How a Microsoft exec managed to pitch Microsoft Word through the genius tactic of being able to actually use it in a 'type-off' demanded by clients: 'I was the only one who'd actually been a secretary'
Half-Life wallpaper - Gordon Freeman
Former Valve exec says the company struggled to sell Half-Life until coming up with the ultimate 'one simple trick' of marketing manoeuvres: slapping a 'Game of the Year' sticker on the box
Gabe Newell looks into the camera, behind him is a prop of a turret from Team Fortress 2.
Gabe Newell's cult of personality is intense, but a Valve exec who worked with him says his superpower is how he 'delighted in people on the team just being really good at what they did'
The Spy from Team Fortress 2 holds up a folder with an accusatory expression.
One of Valve's original executives shares a very simple secret to its success: 'You can't use up your credibility' by trying to make bad games work
Latest in News
The heroes are attacked by monsters
Pillars of Eternity is getting turn-based combat to mark its 10th anniversary, and that means PC Gamer editors will soon be arguing about combat mechanics again
Image of Ronaldo from Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves trailer
It doesn't really make sense that soccer star Ronaldo is now a Fatal Fury character, but if you follow the money you can see how it happened
Junah beginning a battle in Metaphor: ReFantazio.
Today's RPG fans are 'very sensitive to feeling like they wasted time' when they die, says Metaphor: ReFantazio battle planner—but Atlus still made combat hard anyway
Image of Cersei Lanniser from Game of Thrones: Kingsroad Steam early access trailer
A new Game of Thrones RPG is coming to Steam today with a cast of 'familiar faces,' which is good because it's really the only way to tell it's a GoT game at all
The new Prime Asset featured in the upcoming update for the Outlast Trials.
The Outlast Trials puts its already paranoid players under surveillance for a time-limited story event
A Viera looking confused in Final Fantasy 14.
Old armor continues to fall victim to Final Fantasy 14's bizarre two-channel dye system, unless you're super into changing the colour of teeny-tiny eyelets: 'Why even bother at this point?'