If you do one thing this month, please take a moment to protect your digital freedom: go to Copywrongs.eu and let the EU know how copyright law affects you.
The EU Commission has launched a Public Consultation on the Review of the EU Copyright Rules which means we have a rare chance to change copyright law. The deadline is February 5th, but before you rush off to change the world for the better be warned: the 80 questions, filled with legal jargon, aren’t for the faint-hearted. However, thanks to the awesome folks over at the Electronic Frontier Foundation I’ve discovered Copywrongs.eu – a really nifty tool which lets you participate with ease.
Please, please do take the time to help protect our digital rights by going to Copywrongs.eu and filling out the questionnaire, before asking your friends and family to do the same. This isn’t just another survey which will be ignored: it’s a genuine chance to make an impact on future EU legislation, via an official public consultation.
As an aspiring journalist there are many ways in which copyright affects me when I publish content online, but this matters to everyone. My mum cannot understand why, living in Luxembourg, she cannot purchase ebooks in English despite being able to order physical copies from abroad. My dad is frustrated when he tries to watch sports online only to be informed broadcasters don’t have the rights show footage outside of certain countries. I’m sick of listening to a new song on the radio only to then be blocked from listening to it online, let alone from purchasing it. And yet, despite all this, we’re meant to live in a single European market for goods and services.
It’s so important we as citizens help our governments strike the correct balance between copyright protection and users’ rights. Please share this with other people as the consultation has had very little publicity so far. We’re the ones using the internet, we need to ensure our opinions are taken into account.
Quick links:
- The original post on the consultation by the Electronic Frontier Foundation
- The easiest way to submit your comments is at www.copywrongs.eu.
- The long form version to answer all the questions can be found here.
- The European Commission’s main consultation site is here.
- Really cool Model Responses & Why This Consultation Matters, from Amelia Andersdotter, Pirate Party MEP.
