Flash Mob Choir in Brussels: Sing along to Fix Article 13

CREATE REFRESH brings together a group of local musicians to sing festive songs with a copyright twist in the fight for a free internet. Creatives, platforms and supporters are invited to participate and sing together:

Jingle Bell Rocks or is jingle less rock? As Jingle Bells pause, and Jingle Bells Stop

Filters and censors on Jingle Bell sites

With the EU’s new rights?      
 

CREATE REFRESH will showcase next Tuesday Holiday remixes to bring awareness about the right to create risked by potential content filters. Lyrics of popular songs like Jingle Bell Rock, Deck the Hall and Winter Wonderland have never been so inspiring.

From the 3rd to the 13th December, the European Parliament, Commission, and Council will be negotiating a final text for Article 13 of the proposed Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market. MEPs will vote on the final text at the beginning of 2019. As we are entering this crucial phase right in the beginning of a festive season, singing together is probably the best way to share a strong message.

If we keep Article 13 as it is now, platforms will hold a primary liability for all copyright infringements committed by their users. This would inevitably lead to the implementation of upload filters to keep up with the sheer scale of user-generated uploads. These filters may not be sophisticated enough to detect whether something is within the realm of fair use, meaning that original content could be automatically deleted without the consent of the user. Creative expression will effectively be censored, leaving only the bigger, more established players protected.

To make sure creative expression will never be censored, CREATE REFRESH is asking policymakers to fix Article 13 by removing upload filter obligations, directly or implied, and implement transparent and accountable measures where robots are applied. Without this, Article 13 will restrict creators’ ability to find audiences, build careers online and stifle creative freedom of expression.

Join the choir on Tuesday 4th December 2018 in the Espace Léopold, outside the European Parliament in Brussels at to make sure The EU will never restrict our freedom of expression. ‘We must fight for more progression’, as it is stated in the Jingle Bells remix.

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About CREATE REFRESH:

CREATE REFRESH is a network of 100+ artists and creatives, campaigning to defend the open Internet in the EU and stop Article 13. It is supported by a broad coalition of over 35 non-profit organizations and associations such as Open Media, Creative Commons and Open Knowledge, all of which are listed on the website Founders include CCIA, Copyright for Creativity, Kennisland and Communia.

Artists and creators from all backgrounds have already shown their support to CREATE REFRESH including former Fugees rapper Wyclef Jean, author Bénédicte Martin, vlogger Joel Morris, DJ, music producer, label owner Ben Gomori, street artists Destructive Creation, and many more.

“Today EU Parliament passed Article 13 and Article 11. This is terrible news for creators everywhere…” (Joel Morris tweet @JMXFifa)

“This decision will jeopardize the fundamental rights and freedoms of both Bulgarian and other citizens of the European Union” (Destructive Creation)

The campaign is supported by a coalition of diverse organisations from the communication, digital and the not-for-profit sectors, including France Digital, Copyright for Creativity, Kennisland, La Quadrature du net, The Developers Society, Cartoon Network, Wikimedia France, Patreon, and many more.

"Creativity and the ability to build on the work of others is at the heart of everything” (The Developers Society)