BRUSSELS: EU lawmakers will vote next Tuesday on whether to endorse an overhaul of the bloc's two-decade old copyright rules as Google and internet activists stepped up their criticism of a requirement to install copyright filters.
A requirement for Google's YouTube, Facebook's Instagram and other sharing platforms to install filters to catch copyright violations known as Article 13 has triggered protests, with an online petition http://www.savetheinternet.info garnering more than 5 million signatures so far. "Article 13 could impact a large number of platforms, big and small, many of them European. Some may not be able to bear these risks," Walker said.EU lawmaker Julia Reda from the Pirate Party, who has spearheaded opposition to certain elements of the reforms, urged opponents to take part in Europe-wide protests on Saturday.
Artists including film producers Pedro Almodovar and Michel Hazanavicius, Benny Andersson from Abba and author Ali Smith have come out in support of the overhaul.