It might not always be visible. You may not hear about it every day in the news. But don’t be fooled, Europe is engaged in a new kind of battle, one against domination from internet giants.
The next casualty? Culture. Your Culture.
Digital economic powers continue to profit as working artists struggle to make ends meet. By refusing to give artists a say and by not paying properly for using their art, current artists are being hurt and the dreams of future creators are being extinguished. The gap between the revenue generated by the Internet Platforms and the money they give to the creators, responsible for their success, is not fairly shared.
But it’s not just the livelihoods of creators that are at stake, it’s also our democracy. On September 12, the European Parliament will vote on the fate of the EU Copyright Directive. This Directive isn't just more regulation, it’s a necessary tool to level the playing field with powerful internet companies that don’t want to play by the rules. As citizens of Europe, we find ourselves at a historic crossroads where we must answer the question: what kind of Europe do we want? A strong Europe that stands up for the rights of its people, or a Europe that gives in to the whims of corporations?
The battle over the EU Copyright Directive is only the latest example of internet giants’ attempts to take advantage of Europe and Europeans. Citizen support for the anti-copyright campaign has been overblown thanks to automated tools and bots. Genuine concerns have been raised about this text and, ultimately, we share the same goal: keep Internet as a free space to express our creativity and our opinions.
While the current debate has been focused on “memes” and “Gifs” – which will not be affected by the new Directive - this vote is about so much more. We know this vote cuts to the core of how democracy functions in Europe. But do our MEPs know it?
We are Europe for Creators. We represent some 12 million jobs across the European cultural and creative sectors. We are people, not bots. And we are protesting against the false divide that has been put between citizens and us.
Join us in our fight to allow culture to flourish so that we can keep entertaining, enriching and inspiring you today... and in the future. Share this site to spread the word. Our moment is now. We will not get another.
Published August 31 2018