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Read and share online: https://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/free-software-is-at-risk-in-the-eu-take-action-now
Hello Jalobeanu Mihai-Stanislav,
Free software is under attack within the European Union (EU). The
proposed European Copyright Directive poses a great risk for free
software and its development. The Legal Affairs Committee (JURI) of
the European Parliament will be voting June 20th and 21st on whether
or not to continue to allow us to build software online, together.
Members of the European Parliament want to turn upload platforms like
GitLab into "censorship machines" that require user-uploaded
materials to be monitored and automatically filtered, a process which
would prevent modified and reused code from being uploaded. This
provision is covered under Article 13 of the Copyright Directive.
If Article 13, embedded within the proposal, becomes official policy,
it will be impossible for developers to build off of one another's
code -- which is not only a blow to the collaborative development of
free software, but a push against the basic freedoms of free
software. Software isn't free unless it can be modified and
shared. Article 13 will affect all users of free software -- as
development of free software suffers, the quality and availability of
updates, new features, and new programs will also suffer.
What you can do
You can help turn the tide against Article 13. Contact your member
of European Parliament (MEP) before June 20th.
Not sure what to say? You can try this sample email.
Dear MEP,
I am an EU citizen and I oppose Article 13 of the proposed Copyright
Directive. Article 13 is harmful to the free, global development of
software, including that which provides necessary infrastructure on
an international scale. Please vote against the Copyright Directive.
Sincerely,
NAME
Need help finding your MEPs?
A complete list of MEPs is available online.
What to do next
After you contact your MEP, there is still more to do!
To learn more, you can check out the links below:
You can also support the work of the Free Software Foundation by
become an Associate Member or making a donation today.
Cheers,
Molly de Blanc
Campaigns Manager
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