Europe’s move to adopt new copyright laws was a top story in tech headlines last year. While music organizations all around the EU were part of the push for adoption, the UK was a notable presence in the lobbying effort. Now, the UK may not see the results of their efforts. Continue Reading
The European Union Intellectual Property Office has released a new report on trends in digital consumption and piracy. The assessment found that overall music is the digital content most commonly accessed by people ages 15-24, with 97% streaming or downloading music. Continue Reading
Strategy Analytics has released a study examining the outlook for terrestrial radio as alterative entertainment options take hold in cars. The survey of 4,790 car owners in the U.S., the UK, France, Germany, Italy, and China pointed to a downward trend for terrestrial radio in favor of streaming and satellite radio. Continue Reading
IDC has released a new report about smart home technology in Europe. According to the analysis, the European smart home market grew by 23.9%, with 21.3 million units shipped in the first quarter of 2019. Continue Reading
European Parliament has voted in favor of the Copyright Directive, a set of reforms intended to update the bloc’s rules for a digital age, but including several controversial provisions. The directive passed by a vote of 348 votes in favor and 274 against. Continue Reading
Several parties in the European creative sector have launched another push on behalf of the Copyright Directive, a contentious effort to update and overhaul the EU’s legal framework for a digital age. A group of 256 organizations and trade bodies from many disciplines signed a letter encouraging the European Parliament to adopt the proposed set of rules when it votes in early April. Continue Reading
The text of the EU Copyright Directive has been finalized, meaning the stage is set for a sweeping legal update that could have unintended consequences for online communication in the bloc. With the final language decided, new revisions cannot be made and the legislation will go to the European Parliament’s legal affairs committee ahead of a final vote, which is expected to occur in March or April. Continue Reading
Europe’s efforts for copyright law overhaul were controversial when they first progressed through Parliament, and the Copyright Directive measures have only become more contentious over time. Article 13 in particular could have far-reaching implications for not just copyright law, but the foundations of how people communicate and create on the Internet. Continue Reading
The European Copyright Directive passed one big hurdle in the fall, but the fate of the contentious legislative overhaul is now in question. Two components of the legal package have raised debate: Article 11, which lets publishers charge a fee when online platforms like Google or Facebook show snippets of their articles, and Article 13, which makes platforms such as YouTube liable for user-generated content that infringes copyright. Continue Reading
MIDiA Research has a new report examining YouTube’s impact on the international streaming market. Its assessment shares statistics from the video platform in Q3 2018 and shares insights as to how the recent legislation passed in Europe could have unintended effects on the music industry as a whole. Continue Reading
European Parliament has voted to adopt a sweeping copyright reforms, including big changes to enforcing copyright infringements and unlicensed music on digital platforms. Despite efforts to overhaul EU copyright law falling short earlier this year, the governing body voted heavily in favor of the changes this time, 438 to 226. Continue Reading
As hinted in recent weeks, the European Commission has approved Apple’s acquisition of audio identification tool Shazam. The purchase was first announced back in December 2017, but several European leaders pushed for a full investigation to ensure that the deal would not create issues of competition. Continue Reading