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The Man Behind the EU's Copyright Law is 'Surprised' By What's in the Proposal (qz.com)
Hours after the European Union Parliament voted to approve new controversial copyright laws that will transform how people in Europe and beyond use and profit from the internet, the man behind the legislation, Axel Voss, says he is unaware of what exactly he voted for. From a report: Emanuel Karlsten, a reporter for Sweden's Breakit news site, spoke with Voss, a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) and the EU's copyright rapporteur, after the vote. Karlsten asked about a last-minute amendment that will bar the filming of sports events. The MEP replied in a recorded conversation, "This was kind of mistake I think by the JURI committee. Someone amended this. No one had been aware of this." European Parliament press officer John Schranz at that point broke in to explain that he was aware of the provision in question, calling it "amendment 76." Schranz said that the amendment doesn't bar individuals from filming sporting events. Rather, "the main target" is online betting companies enticing viewers to their sites with video that they have no right to film. He objected to the fact that the "Greens and others" interpret the provision as having a much wider application.
But the MEP Voss admitted, "I didn't know that this was in the proposal so far, so of course I have to deal with it now. I do not consider that the commission and council will have this inside the proposal." Voss added that "because of the time pressure" and general focus on other, more notable aspects of the law, it's possible that the measure was insufficiently scrutinized.
But the MEP Voss admitted, "I didn't know that this was in the proposal so far, so of course I have to deal with it now. I do not consider that the commission and council will have this inside the proposal." Voss added that "because of the time pressure" and general focus on other, more notable aspects of the law, it's possible that the measure was insufficiently scrutinized.
Yes, this is how modern governments works. Lobbyists say use this, do that, and let me give you the quick summary so you don't have to read all the crap. Then critters vote on what they think something is and/or based on previous agreements to scratch each other's backs. It's how most societies work so you shouldn't be surprised when officials do it too. When was the last time you fully read an agreement you signed or fully researched an article before commenting on it? When I bought my house, they scheduled me 30 minutes to 'read' and sign about 70 pages. I was at the doctor's office yesterday and they couldn't even show me the document I was signing. They had a fixed computer display facing the inner office with a privacy filter on it so it couldn't be turned towards me nor could I view it from the side. Only the electronic signature pad was accessible to the patient. I had to sign, then they had to print it off for me to see it. They could have easily had me sign anything. I was the first person who had ever asked them to see what I was signing.
Officials are generally a little worse than the general population, especially the higher up they go. Power corrupts and all that, and there are studies to prove it (not the prison study, that one was bullshit). I find it very odd that people somehow believe them to be better than most people. At the very least you should assume they have the exact same habits as you do. Do you read all the meeting minutes from work meetings you've skipped?
Plus, reading bills is difficult. It can be like a code diff log. Strike out section 2 paragraph 4 and replace with "...". Simply reading a bill isn't good enough (at least in USA). They really need to modernize and track bills as code with version control. Every once in a while there's stories about some bit of text being inserted into a bill and no one knows where it came from. The bills also need documentation saying their intent. Lobbyist craft bills with very specific wording to create loopholes while reassuring anyone who manages to decode it by saying 'no, it's not intended for that. It'll never be used that way.' And the day after it's passed it's used exactly that way. Lobbyists craft bills? Didn't you know that? Just like companies publish press releases, they also publish pre-written laws for congress critters to slap their name on and put up for a vote. Isn't that super helpful, companies are great! And it's the congress critter's staff who go over everything recommending what to vote for rather than the elected official doing it. He's too busy making connections and there's too many laws being worked on for one person to read all of them.
Uh... The USA is not a democracy and has never been one.. Please stop calling it one. The USA is a Democratic Republic... (yes, there is a big difference)