FAQ

What is Article 13?

Article 13 is a provision in the EU Copyright Reform mandating that all content uploaded to the internet be monitored and potentially deleted if a likeness to existing copyrighted content is detected. EU lawmakers are negotiating the final text, which will go to an MEP vote at the end of the year.

Find out more here.

How will Article 13 affect me?

Whether a creator or a consumer, everyone who uses the internet will be affected by this law — which is why we all need to speak out against it.

If you are a creator or independent business, the content that you upload to share with your audience might be deleted without your consent. Creators include but are not limited to Artists –such as Cartoonists, Gamers, Illustrators, Photographers, Documentary Filmmakers, Animators, Musicians, DJs, and Dancers,– Bloggers, Journalists, and Technologists.

Online platforms will be required to implement complex filtering systems and will be held liable for copyright infringement, potentially incurring fines that threaten their economic viability.

Article 13 would restrict the ability of internet users to consume content –meaning they won’t be able to find and enjoy diverse kinds of cultural expressions that they have grown accustomed to. The days of communicating through gifs and memes, listening to our favourite remixes online or sharing videos of our friends singing at karaoke might be coming to an end.

Ultimately, the internet culture that has emerged in recent years –a culture that enables connections and democratises information– will become bureaucratic and restrictive.

How can I take part in the campaign?

We are inviting individuals and organisations to support the campaign in a number of ways:

  • Show your endorsement by adding your logo to our website
    Add your voice to the conversation around the campaign. Our message will be stronger if our voices are united.
  • Share our content in your social channels
    We’ve made videos, infographics, gifs, memes, and other content pieces that communicate the implications of restrictive filtering systems. You can help us amplify our message.
  • Create content around the campaign messages
    If you are a creator or creative business, you can submit your idea and apply for a grant to develop content around the campaign messages. Request the brief to participate. 

What do we want to achieve with the campaign?

Our goal is to fix Article 13 – defending freedom of expression and European digital culture.

How does Create.Refresh view copyright?

We believe in the principle of copyright as a legal tool to protect creators.  It is because we acknowledge and celebrate the value that copyright represents for creators and for the advancement of culture, innovation and the economy, that we urge policy makers in the EU to create a legal framework that safeguards the best interests of the creators as we make our way through the first quarter of the 21st century and onwards.

As we rethink copyright, a fair environment needs to be enabled for creators to thrive. The internet is a space where creators can nurture and promote  their talent, ideas and work. As such, it needs to continue evolving to provide creators with inspiration, knowledge, information, and distribution possibilities. This will be possible through participatory mechanisms that enable creators to be part of the copyright debate. Create.Refresh aims to empower creators around Europe to unite their voices and help shape a balanced copyright.

What is the stand of Create.Refresh in relation to piracy?

Create.Refresh strongly opposes piracy. We believe that aside from ensuring the availability of diverse, accessible and legal offerings of content, mechanisms to discourage and penalise this practice need to be put in place. Any solution on this issue should be designed to protect the best interests of all creators –including independent creators and businesses–  and not only the interests of large media businesses.  We believe this can be done, and should be done,  in respecting fundamental rights and freedoms, and maintaining an open internet for creators. The legislation needs to evolve alongside with technology and provide a framework that allows for creativity to flow without transgression in the form of censorship or in the form of piracy.

Whose initiative is this?

Create.Refresh is an initiative to highlight the implications of copyright legislation for creators –specially independent creators and small to medium size businesses, and with the ultimate goal of starting an inclusive conversation for a balanced copyright. It is funded by CCIA, Kennisland, Copyright for Creativity and CDT, supported by civil society organisations and amplified by creators from diverse fields.

In what ways does the campaign support creators with the production of content?

Create.Refresh supports creators in multiple ways. We provide information in relation to the proposed copyright reform, in particular Article 13, and on the stand, values and objectives of the campaign. In the instances where creators want to produce content that features ways in which a fair copyright environment can be created, and require funding for this production, we give micro grants to support them. Creators are encouraged to apply for this grants to cover the production cost of the idea they want to bring to life. These micro grants ensure that creators are able to express themselves and that they are not left out of the conversation on copyright. Create.Refresh also supports creators in amplifying their voices by distributing their content across diverse networks. We are aggregating all the content that is being produced by our #CreatorsNetwork in order to send a strong message: it is time for creators to demand a balanced copyright that protects their interests and their freedom of expression.

Who can I get in touch with for more information?

If you want to learn more about the campaign, endorse our message, or create content around the issue, contact [email protected].