The EU Copyright Directive: Seeing The Funny Side?

Earlier in the summer, the European Parliament voted down the EU's proposed Copyright Directive. The Directive was aimed at providing greater protection for copyright owners by putting the onus on websites and information service providers to take down copyright infringing material. Under the Directive, ISPs would have been obliged to take 'appropriate and proportionate' measures to ensure that uploaded content does not infringe the copyright of third parties.

Despite voting the Directive down, the debate rages on, and legislators will bring a revised version of the bill back before the Parliament in September.

Reproduction of copyright materials on the internet has become widespread, impacting the ability of copyright owners to determine where their works have been reproduced and to receive compensation. As such it has not been surprising to find that high profile copyright owners such as Paul McCartney came down in favour of the Directive.