Europe for Creators launches new tools to counter Google’s unprecedented lobbying

Brussels, 16 January – EUROPE FOR CREATORS is launching a new website and a newsletter, as part of a renewed effort to counter Google’s massive disinformation campaign around Article 13 of the European Copyright Directive.

 

The new tools are meant to fight back with facts. The website, www.article13.org (also available in Italian, German, Czech, French, Polish, Croatian and more to come) and the newsletter, INSIGHT13, take a no-nonsense approach to the issue and go back to basics: What does the Directive actually say and how does the process work?

Google has used its financial power and its YouTube platform to organise one of the largest lobbying campaigns the European Union has seen in recent years, with scant regard for truth. YouTube executives have claimed that Article 13 would cripple the platform in Europe, with 35 million accounts potentially at risk of being taken down. The platform and its allies have sought to manipulate children and young users to channel false claims about Article 13. It’s extremely worrying that a media platform in such a dominant position would use its service as a weapon to influence public opinion and advocate purely private and commercial interests through misinformation, fear mongering and fake news.

With a clear timeline, an FAQ and a paragraph-by-paragraph explanation of the European Parliament’s version of Article 13, the website provides accurate and easy-to-understand insights into the debate, while unveiling the benefits of Article 13 for creators and ordinary users. It is time that YouTube takes steps to ensure transparency, accountability and responsibility on its platform once and for all. And it will never do so without clear and fair rules in place.

Article 13 will facilitate the sharing of content in a fairer way and stop arbitrary removal of content and other unfair trading practices which platforms such as YouTube routinely resort to.

The newsletter will report on the latest developments in the process and the battle over public opinion. Brief analytical pieces will link to the best articles, videos, Tweets and memes on the subject.

Subscribe to the newsletter and visit us at www.article13.org or follow the debate on Twitter @EUForCreators with #EuropeForCreators.

View the press release in pdf

 

About EUROPE FOR CREATORS

EUROPE FOR CREATORS gathers citizens, creators and cultural organisations responsible for more than 12 million jobs in Europe. We represent European authors, composers, musicians, singers, painters, sculptors, directors, producers, journalists, writers, scientists and academics, committed to fight in favour of the Copyright Directive.

Contact details

Véronique Desbrosses – GESAC General Manager

secretariatgeneral@gesac.org – +32 (0) 2 511 44 54