New Report: Germany Caved To France On Copyright In A Deal For Russian Gas

from the horse-trading:-the-public-internet-for-russian-gas dept

In the hours leading up to the vote in the EU Parliament on the EU Copyright Directive, the German publication FAZ (which has been generally supportive of the Directive) has released quite a bombshell (in German), suggesting that the reason Germany caved to France on its terrible demands concerning copyright was in order to get France's approval of the controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia.

If you don't recall, the German delegation had actually pushed back on the more extreme versions of Article 13 -- and, in particular, had demanded that a final version have a clear carve-out for smaller companies, so as not to have them forced out of business by the onerous demands of the law. However, after some back and forth, Germany caved in to France's demands, with many left scratching their heads as to why. However, some noted the "coincidence" in timing, that right after this, France also withdrew its objections to the pipeline which is very controversial in the EU (and the US, which is threatening sanctions).

FAZ notes that there were whispered rumors about Germany and France basically trading these two proposals, with Germany effectively selling out the open public internet in exchange for easier access to Russian gas. However, it has now seen documents that support this claim. Germany's economic minister, Peter Altmaier apparently promised startups that Germany would not cave on its promise to create a carve-out for all companies with less than 20 million euros in revenue per year -- only to drop that demand the very next day.

According to FAZ, the French delegation directly suggested the idea of France backing away from its opposition to the Nord Stream 2 pipeline if Germany backed away from its concerns about Article 13. And, voila, within days, Germany gave up on its demands regarding Article 13 and, a few days later, France switched sides and agreed to support the pipeline. So, as the German MEPs go to the polls tomorrow, we'll see if they think it was a fair deal to sell out the public internet in exchange for some Russian gas.

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Filed Under: article 13, copyright, eu copyright directive, france, germany, internet, nord stream 2, oil, pipelines, russia


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  • icon
    Hugo S Cunningham (profile), 25 Mar 2019 @ 3:56pm

    Macron-- salaud!

    Macron deserves every rock the "Gilets Jaunes" have been buzzing at him recently...

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
    icon
    Richard Bennett (profile), 25 Mar 2019 @ 4:00pm

    Cool conspiracy theory

    I can't wait for the follow-up on InfoWars.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 25 Mar 2019 @ 4:06pm

      Re: Cool conspiracy theory

      Wow, what an effective rebuttal and great use of your time!

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Mike Masnick (profile), 25 Mar 2019 @ 4:10pm

      Re: Cool conspiracy theory

      Hey Richard!

      Curious: are you claiming that FAZ is infowars level in its reporting?

      Or are you just making shit up because you don't actually care about facts? Just wondering.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        That One Guy (profile), 25 Mar 2019 @ 4:15pm

        Curious: are you claiming that FAZ is infowars level in its reporting?

        If it's that one it would make this line rather interesting(if entirely consistent with others in the same category)...

        the German publication FAZ (which has been generally supportive of the Directive)

        ... and raise the question as to whether they are as dismissive of anything FAZ wrote in favor of the Directive, or if it's only this little tid-bit that they're accusing of being beyond sloppy reporting in a blatant show of hypocrisy on their part.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

      • This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
        identicon
        Algorithm-driven Rabbit Hole, 25 Mar 2019 @ 4:22pm

        Re: Re: Clearly Infowars is likely to have a different view.

        Just wondering.

        You're always wondering, Maz.

        This is yet another instance where your utterly fixed notions just simply prevent you from seeing fairly obvious point (as my subject line).

        And your jeering there is just CHILDISH.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Rocky, 25 Mar 2019 @ 4:57pm

          Re: Re: Re: Clearly Infowars is likely to have a different view.

          What do your subject line refer to?

          That Infowars are better than FAZ in its level of reporting?
          Or that Infowars doesn't think the backroom deal happened between Germany and France?
          Or perhaps Infowars thinks people doesn't make shit up?

          Or are you just butthurt that someone made snide remarks about Infowars?

          link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 25 Mar 2019 @ 7:33pm

          Re: Re: Re: Clearly Infowars is likely to have a different view.

          TV Guide jeers!

          link to this | view in chronology ]

      • This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
        icon
        Richard Bennett (profile), 25 Mar 2019 @ 4:59pm

        Re: Re: Cool conspiracy theory

        1. The piracy lobby often uses fear of censorship to rally the suckers to support Silicon Valley-friendly regulations and policies.

        2. Alex Jones uses conspiracy theories to win support for his battle against censorship.

        3. This conspiracy theory is the type of thing Alex Jones likes.

        Incidentally, why no link to the story in FAZ?

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 25 Mar 2019 @ 5:03pm

          Re: Re: Re: Cool conspiracy theory

          how many times is John Richard whatever AstroTurf group that is overclocking and taking peoples pictures and changing names going to try to repeat the definition of insanity here to no avail? Lol

          link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 25 Mar 2019 @ 5:34pm

          Re: Re: Re: Cool conspiracy theory

          Lobby? I thought the whole idea of being a pirate was to be cheap. You're saying we can afford lawmakers now?

          link to this | view in chronology ]

          • icon
            That One Guy (profile), 25 Mar 2019 @ 6:01pm

            'After a decade of giving stuff away I'm a millionaire!'

            It's amazing how many expensive things and amazing profits those engaged in giving things away for free are accused of having/getting, as though not spending money makes it appear out of thin air.

            link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 25 Mar 2019 @ 5:53pm

          Re: Re: Re: Cool conspiracy theory

          The irony is, of course, that your laughable conclusion is itself a conspiracy theory.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

        • icon
          Karl (profile), 25 Mar 2019 @ 5:56pm

          Re: Re: Re: Cool conspiracy theory

          The piracy lobby

          And with this one phrase, you immediately lose whatever credibility you ever had.

          Incidentally, there's a link to the story in FAZ in the first paragraph of the article.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

          • This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
            icon
            Richard Bennett (profile), 25 Mar 2019 @ 6:13pm

            Re: Re: Re: Re: Cool conspiracy theory

            YouTube

            link to this | view in chronology ]

            • identicon
              Anonymous Coward, 26 Mar 2019 @ 7:32am

              Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Cool conspiracy theory

              Try again Richard.

              link to this | view in chronology ]

            • icon
              blademan9999 (profile), 26 Mar 2019 @ 10:23am

              Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Cool conspiracy theory

              You mean the guys who have bent over backwards to unsuccessfully appease the laber industries.
              Who spent 60-100 MILLION dollars one a filter they had no legal obligation to make?

              link to this | view in chronology ]

      • This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
        identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 25 Mar 2019 @ 8:11pm

        Re: Re: Cool conspiracy theory

        The claim about a connection here appears to be based on timing, not actual proof of this quid-pro-quo, which is probably why some hint at it being a conspiracy.

        That and you're an anti-copyright #@$)(@#$)(@$(@#$.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 25 Mar 2019 @ 4:29pm

      Re: Dick acts like Richard

      Cool story bro.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 25 Mar 2019 @ 4:51pm

      Re: Cool conspiracy theory

      “Can’t wait for the follow up on info wars”
      -Richard Bennett-new info wars correspondent lol

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 26 Mar 2019 @ 7:38am

      Re: Cool conspiracy theory

      I'm sorry you have rejected facts and reality.

      If you really knew anything about TD and the readership here, you would know conspiracy theories and InfoWars in particular are held in poor regard. Much like you and your conspiracy theories.

      Try again Richard.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    That One Guy (profile), 25 Mar 2019 @ 4:11pm

    German politicians for sale. Price: Support for gas pipeline OBO

    Well at least now the EU(and global) public knows what it takes to buy a german politician and get them to shank the public in the back. Nice to have that cleared up rather than just hanging around as an unknown.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Anonymous Anonymous Coward (profile), 25 Mar 2019 @ 5:08pm

      Re: German politicians for sale. Price: Support for gas pipeline

      There is more to that story since electric cars are on the verge of becoming ubiquitous and cheap oil won't do much to slow that down. Now if the quid pro quo was for something in the renewable energy line, I could see how that might make some sense. But, since it is for cheap legacy oil when that will be out of fashion not too far into the future, there has to be something boiling beneath the surface, and it stinks...badly.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 25 Mar 2019 @ 7:35pm

        Re: Re: German politicians for sale. Price: Support for gas pipe

        Do you know how much oil is required to put together an "electric" car?

        They're subsidized as well, not profitable, and don't ask about "thermal events."

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 25 Mar 2019 @ 9:51pm

          Re: Re: Re: German politicians for sale. Price: Support for gas

          If they're not profitable you are doing auto manufacturing wrong. And aside from tires and generously wire wrapping (electric motors use many different types of lubricants - oil based ones aren't one of them) what the fuck would they use oil for in an electric car? Oil is fundamentally a battery tech given the input energy into refinement. If they are using oil they are doing it very, very wrong which explains the inability to profit.

          As for thermal events - we should stick to gasoline to avoid fires? Are you trolling or just that stupid and brainwashed?

          link to this | view in chronology ]

          • icon
            Toom1275 (profile), 26 Mar 2019 @ 6:27am

            Re: Re: Re: Re: German politicians for sale. Price: Support for

            EVs can generate 15-68% more emissions than ICE cars during manufacture, but for lifetime emissions, an EV can break even with, and then be forever lower than, a gas car in only 6-18 months of driving, depending on range, frequency of use, and grid emissions.

            link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        nasch (profile), 26 Mar 2019 @ 3:05pm

        Re: Re: German politicians for sale. Price: Support for gas pipe

        This pipeline will carry natural gas, not oil. There are CNG and LPG vehicles in Europe but a minority of the market, so it's not clear this has anything to do with the automotive market.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

  • This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
    identicon
    Algorithm-driven Rabbit Hole, 25 Mar 2019 @ 4:19pm

    So double win for Europe: works protected AND cheap Rooski gas!

    What's your complaint except that you want Youtube to continue ripping off producers AND you want Europeans to pay higher prices for US gas?

    Can't even construe your position as pro-American since you really only want GOOGLE able to continue using content for free.

    Above you don't even exactly specify complaint! Yyour opposition to Google / Youtube being hampered is just SO engrained and automatic -- besides well known -- that you often forget to state your position clearly. You tacitly write for fixed audience (and certainly of late fail to offer even appearance of objectivity), simply fail to win over anyone new with this piece.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 25 Mar 2019 @ 4:54pm

      Re: So double win for Europe: works protected AND cheap Rooski g

      John you think you are freaking out and making no sense right now wait till those young folks get into politics and REALLY get to you on these issues lol

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 25 Mar 2019 @ 5:09pm

      Hmm let me see if I got this right

      What's your complaint except that you want Youtube to continue ripping off producers AND you want Europeans to pay higher prices for US gas?

      The way I read that is you are saying the youtube is engaged in copyright infringement? Or are you suggesting that someone producers are compled against their will to upload their content to youtube?

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Toom1275 (profile), 25 Mar 2019 @ 5:14pm

      Re: So double win for Europe: works protected AND cheap Rooski g

      works protected

      [Asserts facts not in evidence]

      you want Youtube to continue ripping off producers

      [ASSerts facts not in evidence]

      you want Europeans to pay higher prices for US gas

      [ASSerts facts not in evidence]

      you really only want GOOGLE able to continue using content for free.

      [ASSerts facts not in evidence]

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Rocky, 25 Mar 2019 @ 5:16pm

      Re: So double win for Europe: works protected AND cheap Rooski g

      You know, the last word you should use is "objectivity" since you have proven again and again that you rather make a fool out of yourself than being objective.

      You are a dishonest person, you lie, misdirect, misconstrue, refuse to accept proven facts (at which point you slink away like a coward), conflate subjects and have no clue how to write or parse a syllogism (perhaps I really should draw a Venn-diagram for you).

      You call everyone not agreeing with you (which is almost everyone it seems) for thieves, pirates, astro-turfers, google-shills and liars, and then get upset that your posts get flagged.

      In essence, you are just another sad remnant of a human being living his life vicariously and bitterly through the internet.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 25 Mar 2019 @ 5:18pm

        Re: Re: So double win for Europe: works protected AND cheap Roos

        I'm pretty sure it's a bot.

        I was trying to fuzzy it for vulnerblities.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • icon
          That One Guy (profile), 25 Mar 2019 @ 5:23pm

          Unlikely, bots(at least well programmed ones) can eventually learn and avoid doing the same stupid things over and over(and over) again.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

          • identicon
            Anonymous Coward, 25 Mar 2019 @ 5:28pm

            Re:

            As someone who's been involved in software dev (and seen production code of other humans). I know there's a nearly infinite supply of terrible code.

            And for some reason many 'young' devs seem to think code reuse is the way to go... Which would be ok, if they bothered to grok the code in the first place. However it's often copy, paste -> no comprehension delta.

            link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 25 Mar 2019 @ 5:25pm

          Re: Re: Re: So double win for Europe: works protected AND cheap

          Either a bot or some AstroTurf dime a dozen.
          They won’t have power after the current Crop of tech illiterates all get out of power and the young ones get in. Times a factor here and that’s one thing they are just trying to hold off.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

          • identicon
            Anonymous Coward, 25 Mar 2019 @ 8:26pm

            Re: Re: Re: Re: So double win for Europe: works protected AND ch

            They weren't going to have power after the inevitable failure of Article 13!

            Haha

            link to this | view in chronology ]

  • This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
    icon
    Zof (profile), 25 Mar 2019 @ 4:42pm

    And the Obama white house caved to Russia and illegally send them 20 percent of our Uranium. And it appears the only thing we have to show for it is a huge Clinton Foundation donation.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 25 Mar 2019 @ 4:53pm

      Re:

      You might wanna stick with infowars bro.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Toom1275 (profile), 25 Mar 2019 @ 5:10pm

      Re:

      You say that as though that right-wing bubble fiction hadn't been thoroughly debunked for years now.

      Aren't you also that guy pretending to be woke about not trusting lies from the media?

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 25 Mar 2019 @ 5:50pm

      Re:

      I heard that the Martians have taken over the Kremlin and Putin is actually a robot.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 25 Mar 2019 @ 5:34pm

    In other words, here we have a case of copyright funding communism.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 25 Mar 2019 @ 6:13pm

    Copycomies if you will.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
    icon
    Richard Bennett (profile), 25 Mar 2019 @ 6:18pm

    Lovely irony

    Germany is desperate for Russian gas because it has shut its nukes down. France doesn't care about gas because it has tons of super-cool nukes.

    Who decided to shut down Germany's nukes? Why the Greens/Pirates, of course. So the Green/Pirate freakout over nukes not only increases GHG output, it throws a monkey wrench in the piracy machine.

    LOL.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 25 Mar 2019 @ 6:33pm

      Re: Lovely irony

      Pass the mustard as that pretzel logic needs a lot of yellow stuff to enhance it's flavor!!

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
        icon
        Richard Bennett (profile), 25 Mar 2019 @ 6:47pm

        Re: Re: Lovely irony

        Isn't this a conspiracy site?

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • icon
          Stephen T. Stone (profile), 25 Mar 2019 @ 7:13pm

          No, this is a tech blog. If you want a conspiracy site, go find a White supremacist forum.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

          • This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
            icon
            Richard Bennett (profile), 25 Mar 2019 @ 7:22pm

            Re:

            A tech blog...so that means the articles are written by technologists about their technologies and what they're good for and that kinda stuff? I don't see that in the current article, just some speculation about politicians horse-trading about natural gas and digital piracy and some gnashing of teeth over YouTube's revenue stream.

            The conspiracy angle pops up in this sentence: "However, some noted the "coincidence" in timing, that right after this, France also withdrew its objections to the pipeline which is very controversial in the EU (and the US, which is threatening sanctions)."

            link to this | view in chronology ]

            • identicon
              Anonymous Coward, 25 Mar 2019 @ 7:29pm

              Re: Spekaing of gnashing teeth

              So that means your blog is about assholes eh bro?

              link to this | view in chronology ]

            • identicon
              Anonymous Coward, 26 Mar 2019 @ 7:49am

              Re: Re:

              A tech blog...so that means the articles are written by technologists about their technologies and what they're good for and that kinda stuff?

              No, a tech blog is just that, a blog about tech. Who writes it or what "technologies" they have or have not contributed to is irrelevant to the classification. That only matters to old men who scream at kids to get off their lawn and are paid industry shills. Sound familiar?

              I don't see that in the current article

              Then I suggest a reading comprehension class.

              just some speculation about politicians horse-trading about natural gas and digital piracy

              Where did piracy come in from? Oh right, you think legacy copyright companies should get paid every time someone even thinks about something one of their signed artists created.

              some gnashing of teeth over YouTube's revenue stream.

              Youtube wasn't even mentioned so....projection much?

              The conspiracy angle pops up in this sentence:

              And I suppose the sentence "Russia took out a bunch of political ads and ran some political propaganda campaigns the same year as a US presidential election" is just a conspiracy too right? They weren't trying to influence the election at all, right? They just want to be friends, right? Correlation is not always causation, but that doesn't exclude it from the realm of possibility.

              Try again Richard.

              link to this | view in chronology ]

            • identicon
              Dave P., 26 Mar 2019 @ 11:08am

              Re: Re:

              Do we have a new troll on the block?

              link to this | view in chronology ]

              • identicon
                Anonymous Coward, 26 Mar 2019 @ 11:25am

                Re: Re: Re:

                Not technically.

                He posts on here occasionally and either actually believes the drivel he writes or is paid to write it by legacy industries. He runs his own propaganda blog and managed to somehow get himself appointed to the Broadband Advisory Council to the FCC.

                He used to actually try to make a coherent argument but after I eviscerated his arguments with undeniable proof as either being ignorant of how tech works, deliberately misleading, or outright lies, now he just shows up to flame TD once in a while. It's still fun to poke at him though.

                link to this | view in chronology ]

                • icon
                  Richard Bennett (profile), 26 Mar 2019 @ 11:33am

                  Re: Re: Re: Re:

                  "I eviscerated his arguments with undeniable proof"

                  I never cease to be amazed by unreasonable self-assessments.

                  link to this | view in chronology ]

                  • identicon
                    Anonymous Coward, 26 Mar 2019 @ 12:05pm

                    Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

                    It's not a self assessment. It's fact.

                    Anyone (including you) is free to look back at our exchanges on here. They will show you being ignorant, misleading, or outright lying, followed by me pointing them out with independent, easily verifiable facts, some of which were posted either in the article being discussed or by scrolling up a few comments. After which you generally run away and stop commenting for a while.

                    Your grasp of how technology (and especially the internet) works is especially lacking and sad. How you managed to get on the BAC, or why anyone would ever take anything you say seriously is beyond me.

                    Try again Richard.

                    link to this | view in chronology ]

                    • icon
                      Richard Bennett (profile), 26 Mar 2019 @ 12:22pm

                      Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

                      LOL.

                      As if anyone can tell one anonymous coward from all the others.

                      link to this | view in chronology ]

                      • identicon
                        Anonymous Coward, 26 Mar 2019 @ 4:00pm

                        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

                        Even if I'm not the same one (which I am but I understand that is the downside of commenting anonymously), that doesn't change the fact you got your ass handed to you because you were either ignorant, misleading, or outright lying. And now you can't be bothered to make an actual argument and are instead just flaming and trolling.

                        Try again Richard.

                        link to this | view in chronology ]

                        • icon
                          Richard Bennett (profile), 26 Mar 2019 @ 4:48pm

                          Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

                          Sorry, but you lose. You can't take credit for past behavior until you manager to summon the courage to use a unique name of some kind.

                          As far as I can tell, you've never handed a single ass to any person at any time.

                          Prove me wrong if you can, but be warned I'm asking for real evidence instead of your florid imagination.

                          link to this | view in chronology ]

                          • identicon
                            Anonymous Coward, 26 Mar 2019 @ 9:42pm

                            Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

                            Tsk tsk tsk.

                            Apparently reading comprehension is a skill you lack in addition to tech knowledge.

                            As I clearly stated in the statement above, ultimately it doesn't matter whether it was me or not (again, it was but not being able to prove it is a hazard of commenting anonymously and irrelevant to my larger point).

                            The fact of the matter is I, or someone like me if you refuse to admit it was me specifically, handed you your ass on a silver platter because you can't be bothered to actually educate yourself or make any straightforward, honest statements. The proof of which is easily visible for all to see with a simple search of your comments.

                            But again, this just proves my point that you don't make anything but ignorant, misleading, or lying statements. I would classify this one as misleading since you are trying to deflect from the fact that you got your ass handed to you not only now but at various times in the past as well.

                            Prove.

                            Me.

                            Wrong.

                            But be warned, I'm asking for real evidence instead of your florid imagination.

                            Try again Richard.

                            link to this | view in chronology ]

                          • identicon
                            Anonymous Coward, 28 Mar 2019 @ 6:12am

                            Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

                            So typical of Richard. Eviscerate his arguments and back him into a corner and he runs away.

                            I guess I can't blame him. Since he's obviously incapable of making intelligent, straightforward, honest statements, running away at least mitigates the embarrassment of continuing to make ignorant, misleading, lying statements. Still though, it's fairly sad he can't accept reality and instead runs off to lick his wounds and re-assert his delusions by accepting another paycheck from his ISP and legacy industry masters.

                            Oh well. See you in another few months when you get the courage to comment on here again, Richard.

                            link to this | view in chronology ]

          • identicon
            Anonymous Coward, 26 Mar 2019 @ 9:02am

            Re:

            He doesn't need to find one, he runs one.

            link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 25 Mar 2019 @ 7:22pm

          Re: Re: Re: Lovely irony

          Are you ever disappointed that you have reduced yourself to the substance of a bitter YouTube comment?

          link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 25 Mar 2019 @ 7:31pm

          Re:

          Speaking of conspiracies. Has anyone else ever noticed you never see dick or jhon boy in the same forum at the same time?

          link to this | view in chronology ]

          • This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
            identicon
            Anonymous Coward, 25 Mar 2019 @ 7:44pm

            Re: Re:

            I'm sure those insults will prove quite comforting after Article 13 passes.

            link to this | view in chronology ]

            • identicon
              Anonymous Coward, 25 Mar 2019 @ 8:57pm

              Re: Re: Re:

              Why would the conflation of two people be considered remotely insulting?

              I don't think copyright stooges consider their choice of career to be a low point.

              link to this | view in chronology ]

            • identicon
              Anonymous Coward, 25 Mar 2019 @ 9:19pm

              Re: Re: Re: You sound extremely worried.

              I thought you didn’t care about article 13 bro.

              link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 26 Mar 2019 @ 7:41am

          Re: Re: Re: Lovely irony

          No but yours is.

          Try again Richard.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 25 Mar 2019 @ 7:36pm

      Re: Lovely irony

      So pirates are politically powerful enough to affect a countrywide shutdown of nuclear reactors. But they can’t stop article 13? You are dangerously addicted to embarrassing yourself in public bro.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 25 Mar 2019 @ 7:52pm

        Re: Re: Lovely irony

        No, apparently pirates are strong enough to influence 1.8 billion people which is why the Wikipedia blackout must be stopped, but only 27 Bangladeshis read this site! But 27 Bangladeshis saying Shiva Ayyadurai didn't invent email is enough to prevent him from making money ever again! Mumbo, jumbo, chicken gumbo...

        It's like every time some jerkoff like Dick Bennett tries to make an argument it makes one feel like they need a thorough shower.

        Hey, Dick, still trying to get people to pirate/steal that research paper you disagree with?

        link to this | view in chronology ]

      • This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
        icon
        Richard Bennett (profile), 25 Mar 2019 @ 8:59pm

        Re: Re: Lovely irony

        Fukushima, Merkel's coalition, and the Greens' long-standing fear of nukes. Sometimes it doesn't take much to produce a political result.

        The trouble the piracy movement faces is a distinct lack of popular support. 100,000 Germans turned out over the weekend for piracy, but that doesn't look at all impressive compared to the million Brits who turned out to stop Brexit.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 25 Mar 2019 @ 9:20pm

          Re: Senility is a real bitch.

          You didn’t answer the question dick.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

        • icon
          Gary (profile), 25 Mar 2019 @ 9:37pm

          Re: Re: Re: Lovely 13

          Piracy? No one is hijacking cargo on the high seas - this is about censorship.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 25 Mar 2019 @ 10:17pm

          Re: Re: Re: Lovely irony

          And it was nothing compared to the number of people who walked out in support of Google News pulling out of Spain! Oh, wait...

          link to this | view in chronology ]

          • icon
            That One Guy (profile), 26 Mar 2019 @ 1:43am

            'Sour grapes' for the modern day

            There's a reason for the denigration of the protesters beyond just trying to brush a very visible example of an unhappy public under the rug, and it's because the ones doing so know they'd never be able to get that kind of public support for them and what they support.

            Hundreds of thousands were willing to take to the streets in protest against an attempt to attack an open internet in the EU, but when it comes to those in favor of that? A handful, indoors, sipping champagne and holding up little cards.

            link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 26 Mar 2019 @ 8:01am

          Re: Re: Re: Lovely irony

          Fukushima......Sometimes it doesn't take much to produce a political result.

          That's cool that you think a major disaster that has destroyed lives and is affecting the world ecology is such a small thing. You disgust me.

          Also, Fukushima is not "nukes", by which I assume you mean nuclear weapons. It is a power plant you moron.

          The trouble the piracy movement

          What piracy movement? This only exists in your head. Come back to reality, it misses you. Shill.

          faces is a distinct lack of popular support.

          Oh? And hundreds of thousands of people protesting along with online protests was what, another hallucination? Unpopular support? I guess from your corporate master's point of view it would be "unpopular" to them and you.

          100,000 Germans turned out over the weekend for piracy

          No, they turned out to protect freedom of speech. But you're a shill and a moron, I don't expect you to understand at this point.

          but that doesn't look at all impressive compared to the million Brits who turned out to stop Brexit.

          Well let's just compare apples to oranges here. That makes sense. Not.

          Try again Richard.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

          • identicon
            Anonymous Coward, 26 Mar 2019 @ 6:34pm

            Re: Re: Re: Re: Lovely irony

            Try again Richard.

            Please stop encouraging him.

            link to this | view in chronology ]

            • identicon
              Anonymous Coward, 27 Mar 2019 @ 6:57am

              Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Lovely irony

              Oh but it is so much fun watching him flail around and dig himself an ever deeper hole of lies.

              Plus, I'm not sure that that truly counts as encouragement at this point.

              link to this | view in chronology ]

        • icon
          blademan9999 (profile), 26 Mar 2019 @ 10:25am

          Re: Re: Re: Lovely irony

          If you weren't too stupid to relaise it you'd understnad that this has NOTHING to do with piracy.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 26 Mar 2019 @ 8:03am

      Cool conspiracy theory

      I can't wait for the follow up on InfoWars and your shilling blog.

      ROFLMAO.

      Try again Richard.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 26 Mar 2019 @ 11:33am

    Copyright reform

    We need copyright reform.

    1) Public performance is fair use after 28 years
    2) Derivative use is fair use after 28 years
    3) Retroactive copyright terms are null and void

    28 years is the original length of copyright, including the one extension. Also, copyright is supposed to be for a limited period of time. The copyright owner would still have exclusive rights for selling the copyrighted material.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Richard Bennett (profile), 26 Mar 2019 @ 12:16pm

    Article 13 passes

    The legislation was adopted with 348 votes in favor and 274 against.

    Silicon Valley is sad.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 26 Mar 2019 @ 6:40pm

      Re: Article 13 passes

      Not really. Google's position is going to be either cemented, or they will leave and you get the aftermath of Spain when Google News pulled out.

      Seriously, you chucklefucks couldn't even decide if you wanted filters or not, or whether they had to automated, outside you struggling to come up with the answer that made you look least like a douchebag.

      Maybe if you thought more with your brain instead of your Dick you'd be able to come up with a coherent answer.

      How's Pai handling that $43,000 fine, Dick?

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 26 Mar 2019 @ 10:11pm

      Re: Article 13 passes

      Silicon Valley is sad.

      So are the millions of creators and site operators that will now be screwed over by this ill-conceived piece of legislation.

      Try again Richard.

      link to this | view in chronology ]


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