--- title: "European Parliament Approves Controversial “Meme Ban”" description: "The European Parliament approved the final text of its controversial plans to flip online copyright law on its head last night." date: "2019-02-14" modified: "2019-02-14" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-eu-agreed-on-the-final-text-of-a-meme-ban" categories: - "Future Society" tags: - "copyright" - "copyright law" - "european parliament" --- # European Parliament Approves Controversial “Meme Ban” ![The European Parliament approved the final text of its controversial plans to flip online copyright law on its head last night.]() *\Image: Engin Akyurt/Tag Hartman-Simkins\* ## Copyright Directive The doomsday clock is ticking for European internet users. Last night, the European Parliament [approved]() the final text of a controversial online copyright law that would force internet platforms to filter everything users upload for copyright — including memes — and charge news aggregators to link to news publications. The move comes after months of adjustments to the Parliament's proposed [Copyright Directive](). Parliament members will gather for a final vote later this year. Most contentious of all are two Articles included in the proposed Copyright Directive: ## Article 11 This rule, dubbed the "link tax," would force news aggregators — including heavyweights like Google News — to get a [license from news publishers]() and remunerate them for linking to their articles. Parliament member Julia Reda, a prominent opponent of the new law, has [argued]() that small publishers with less brand recognition could lose out — and that the law could boost fake news by discouraging the sharing of reputable news that would charge more. ## Article 13 Arguably even more controversial is Article 13, which [some publishers]() have called a "meme ban." This rule would force major platforms like YouTube to filter every single upload to prevent copyright infringement. That could end up severely limiting the freedom of expression and could end up force big corporations to install monitoring and surveillance technology, [Reda argued](). It could also spell doom for meme culture, according to critics. "Article 13 takes an unprecedented step towards the transformation of the Internet, from an open platform for sharing and innovation, into a tool for the automated surveillance and control of its users," inventor of the internet Tim Berners-Lee declared in [an open letter](). ## Vague Text Many critics of the Directive argue that the [vague wording]() could allow for overreaching new rules that could restrict freedom of speech even further. The Parliament's answer: the [memes will live on](). A lot is at stake for European internet users. The rules that govern what is and what isn't copyright infringement are already hard to discern — and this law could make it even more difficult. **READ MORE:** [Tech Industry and Activists Still Hope to Sink New EU Copyright Rules]() \[*Fortune*\] ***More on the Copyright Directive: [This Newly Approved European Copyright Law Might Break the Internet]()*** ## 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]()