
Copyright Directive: how the mob was told to save the dragon and slay the knight - mqus
https://medium.com/@EuropeanCommission/the-copyright-directive-how-the-mob-was-told-to-save-the-dragon-and-slay-the-knight-b35876008f16
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apsec112
The claim: "Journalists and online publications will have more money to keep
on financing quality research and news. Despite what you might read, the
Copyright directive supports a free press and could enable journalists to get
some money when their articles are shared online. Good journalism costs money
and without a free press there is no democracy."

The reality: "New copyright directive makes a mockery of journalists' authors'
rights" (International Federation of Journalists, [https://www.ifj.org/media-
centre/news/detail/category/author...](https://www.ifj.org/media-
centre/news/detail/category/authors-rights/article/new-copyright-directive-
makes-a-mockery-of-journalists-authors-rights.html))

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jib
When someone writes an article about how the other side is doing something
wrong, without presenting any content of why your side is right other than
vague hand-wavy stuff, that’s a red flag to me. “Bringing it into the 21st
century...”

If the thing you’re supporting is good enough to stand on its own, then
present why that is, don’t spend the time talking about how the other sides
techniques are wrong.

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factsaresacred
It's been removed. Cache here:
[https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:h7i1Ks...](https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:h7i1KsrhACwJ:https://medium.com/%40EuropeanCommission/the-
copyright-directive-how-the-mob-was-told-to-save-the-dragon-and-slay-the-
knight-b35876008f16)

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bassman9000
_Just like everyone else, the EU loves culture, cinema, art and music. We have
no intention in restricting young people’s access to all these wonderful
things on- or offline. Oh and by the way, no matter what some people (and
paid-for campaigns) may tell you, you will never be prevented from having a
laugh online. WE ARE NOT BANNING MEMES. On the contrary, there will be a
guarantee that platforms respect your right to self-expression. That includes
pastiche, critique and parody._

Because a well intentioned bill has never been abused to the point of the
actual results being a parody of the intended ones.

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mips_avatar
“We have removed this article as it has been understood in a way that doesn’t
reflect the Commission’s position.” If the commission can’t even author a memo
explaining their position, why are they rewriting the way the internet works
for a continent?

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rflrob
As an American, I’m not particularly aware of the details of the Copyright
Directive, but this article didn’t go into much _detail_ on why it is good or
why arguments that it is bad are wrong. Sure, it briefly mentioned that it
helps journalists get paid and says that memes aren’t being criminalized, but
it seemed to spend most of its time arguing that FAANG are going to benefit
the most, and so the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

Having seen American copyright law be made more and more restrictive by giant
media companies, I tend to be pretty skeptical of any new laws.

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rini17
From the linked FAQ:

Oh we don't talk about upload filters, only: "The Commission proposal requires
platforms which store and provide access to large amounts of copyright-
protected content uploaded by their users to put in place effective and
proportionate measures."

Oh and no we don't propose snippets tax except when it's understandable
sentence: "The rules on snippets will not change. They can be used and shared
under the same copyright rules as today i.e. without requiring an
authorisation if the snippet is not considered a self-standing original work
(in practice at least an understandable sentence)."

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MistahKoala
The self-portrayal of the EC as a wholesome and pure knight with a blue-and-
yellow shield was particularly cringe-inducing, preceded by its dog-whistle
anti-American policy message.

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mindcrash
"We have removed this article as it has been understood in a way that doesn’t
reflect the Commission’s position."

Interesting development, especially because the article was most likely NOT
misunderstood. Also, gaslighting is a pretty common technique to confuse
ordinary citizens these days (gaslighting as in "you people completely
misunderstood what we are trying to say!").

