Over the objections of a substantial minority of MEPs, the Committee in effect voted to allow the expropriation of publishers’ work. “News and other online services rely on data-driven, ad-funded business models to finance the creation of content”, noted Townsend Feehan, IAB Europe CEO. “Content that must be given away for nothing will ultimately end up being worth nothing.“
“Well-intentioned MEPs believe they need to take these extreme measures to protect citizens. This is simply not true. Privacy rights are already expanded significantly in the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) adopted last year. And sadly, other fundamental rights, including the right to access diverse, quality information sources affordably, media freedom, and property rights, are being needlessly sacrificed.”
“More than ever, Europe needs vibrant, independent media that can hold power to account. We welcome the fact that a considerable number of Committee Members seem to share this conviction. This said, the majority view betrays a mystifying disregard for it, and by the very political groups one might have thought would be most conscious of it.”
IAB Europe calls on the Parliament not to start trilogues before all Members have been consulted via a Plenary vote.
###ENDS###
Contacts:
Matthias Matthiesen
[email protected]
+32496709294
Townsend Feehan
[email protected]
+32478275074
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About IAB Europe
IAB Europe is the leading European-level industry association for the online advertising ecosystem. Its mission is to promote the development of this innovative sector and ensure its sustainability by shaping the regulatory environment, demonstrating the value digital advertising brings to Europe’s economy, to consumers and to the market, and developing and facilitating the uptake of harmonised business practices that take account of changing user expectations and enable digital brand advertising to scale in Europe.
