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#LoveMusic Campaign

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There will be a crucial vote at the European Parliament on 12 September on the EU Copyright Directive, which aims to boost the tiny amounts that some tech firms pay out of their enormous profits for music played online. The UK Music Industry has united to help secure the future of music online and protect the rights of its creators.

If we win the vote then all the tech firms and companies, who have enormous profits and pay tiny amounts to the music industry when music is played online, will finally have to pay the fair amount to creators!

We are fighting for the best possible future for everyone who works in the music industry and who relies on music to make a living. There are many companies and tech firms that try every trick in the book to block a change that would mean a fairer deal for everyone in the UK music business.

UK Music’s campaign #LoveMusic is designed to support this.

The Copyright Directive includes Article 13 which aims to update legislation and redress the balance between the content creators and the platforms. Those on the other side of this debate are claiming that Article 13 in the Copyright Directive will result in censorship of the internet. This simply isn’t true.

Misinformation, propagated by companies which have a vested interest in not sharing their income fairly with creators, are leading a campaign against Article 13.

Key facts about Article 13

  • Article 13 does not impose obligations on the general public. The obligations only relate to online platforms and rightsholders.
  • Article 13 makes it easier for the general public to create, post and share online content as it requires online platforms to get approval for doing this.
  • Article 13 will only be applied to online platforms whose main purpose is to make a profit from storing and making available creative content.
  • Online encyclopedias, open source software and non-commercial platforms are explicitly excluded from the requirements of Article 13.
  • Article 13 is designed to benefit all creators alike. The professional creator will be paid for the use of their work, while the UGC creator benefits from obtaining all the rights they need through the platform.
  • Article 13 will not make memes illegal. Exceptions to copyright for parody are already in place and the Directive does not change this.
  • Article 13 will not kill remixes. Services are already licensed for remixes and mash-ups are covered by existing exceptions to copyright.
  • Article 13 will not harm small businesses and start-ups. The measures will be proportionate, reflecting the specific size and scope of the service.
  • Article 13 will incentivise the licensing of creative content and not lead to mass-scale blocking.
  • Article 13 will not breach privacy or personal data and will be in full compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation.

Distortion in the online music market

Many tech companies are fully licensed and have systems for managing content on the internet. There are however legal loopholes that undermine the rights of creators and those that invest in them. We need to close the loopholes and make the internet work for everyone.

According to figures from the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), audio streaming platforms attracted 272 million users in total in 2017, while 1.3 billion music-using users turned to online video services like YouTube.

Despite having one-fifth of users, audio streaming platforms pay substantially more for the use of music. These services paid around $5.6bn (£4.3bn, or £15 per user) which contrasts significantly with the $856m (£650m, or 50p per user) returned to the industry by the likes of YouTube.

Around 85% of YouTube users visit the site for music each month. The service is the number one source for music consumption and accounts for 84% of all music streaming on online video services.

The legislation proposed in the European Parliament would create a level playing field in the online market.

 

Join us and the rest of the music industry to support music creators and to make the internet fair!

So how can you help and what do you have to do?

It’s simple!

 

Some recent tweets:

You are now being redirected to the Printed Music License Limited website

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You are now being redirected to the PRS For Music who administer the MCPS

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