--- title: "EU Parliament Passes Controversial “Meme Ban”" description: "The European Parliament has finally approved the controversial Copyright Directive that's designed to overhaul copyright law on the internet in the EU." date: "2019-03-26" modified: "2019-03-26" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/eu-parliament-passes-controversial-meme-ban-and-link-tax" categories: - "Future Society" tags: - "copyright" - "eu" - "europe" - "meme" --- # EU Parliament Passes Controversial “Meme Ban” ![]() *\Image: Tag Hartman-Simkins\* ## The Final Vote It's official: the European Parliament has finally approved the controversial Copyright Directive, which is designed to overhaul online copyright law in the EU. The law is divisive. Especially Article 13: opponents call it a "meme ban," and say it'll limit freedom of speech by forcing "upload filters" on any user-uploaded content and give big tech an even stronger grip online. Advocates, on the other hand, say that it will force big tech to pay their fair share. What's certain: the internet in Europe will never be the same. ## "Meme Ban" One controversial part of the Directive, which [many observers]() have dubbed a "meme ban," would force major platforms like YouTube to filter every single upload to prevent copyright infringement. Supporters of the Directive say that "meme ban" is inaccurate, since memes would fall under the label of "parodies" and thereby be protected, but [opponents argue]() that automatic upload filters won't know any better. ## Dark Day Another stipulation, which opponents have dubbed the "link tax," would force news aggregators — including [heavyweights like Google News]() — to remunerate publishers for linking to their articles. Member of Parliament Julia Reda, a vocal opponent to the EU's Copyright Directive has [argued]() that small publishers with less brand recognition could lose out — and [called it]() a "dark day for internet freedom." **READ MORE:** [Europe’s controversial overhaul of online copyright receives final approval]() \[*The Verge*\] **More on the Copyright Directive:** *[European Parliament Approves Controversial “Meme Ban”]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()