Google is already preparing drastic changes to adapt to Article 13 of the European Union

Article 13 of the European Union is practically a reality and Google has been the first to announce changes to adapt to it.

A few hours ago, the parliamentarians of the European Union approved the controversial Article 13, which is aimed at censorship. Despite the fact that there is much controversy around what the approval of it entails, the censorship is already arriving. This article is intended to empower news publishers and record companies, among other content creators. But it goes further, such as the inability to upload gameplay videos, show third-party images or use cuts from other videos. To avoid problems, Google already has a brutal change in its algorithms ready.

How does this article affect us?

The first thing is, no more streaming games on YouTube and Twitch, since that will be illegal. This is because the games are copyrighted and use them for profit, through streaming you will not be able to. Nor can benchmark cuts be used in videos, brands or games cannot be mentioned or third-party images can be shown. Let's add to this applications such as TikTok, Spotify or Facebook should block copyrighted content.

A partial limitation, since if you have the explicit permission of the brand or developers, you can. This means that all those who start, will not be able to upload content where brands appear. In our case, we can talk about products that we have and have analyzed, but nothing more. We will not be able to search for products on Google, or on other sites.

Google prepares changes to the beast

A few hours ago, Google issued an alert about an update to its Panda search engine . Details of the change are still unknown, but it came just an hour after the Article 13 referendum. It's worth noting that changes were already made to the search engine at the beginning of the month.

But it goes further. Google is also planning big changes to YouTube. Apparently they will install or enable a new filter using Artificial Intelligence in the coming weeks. This will review each and every one of the videos and even detect if a brand or a video game is named. If the channel is detected, it could receive a penalty, demonetize the video, temporarily disable live shows, prohibit uploading videos for a while and even delete the channel.

What does the new legislation establish?

The new EU copyright law forces tech giants like Facebook and Google to sign license agreements with rights holders, such as musicians, performers, authors, news publishers and journalists, to use their job.

This will force the platforms to install filters that remove the content with rights. Filters that can remove completely legitimate content and cause serious harm to users.

Furthermore, the second article is the most conflictive, since it advocates a "neighboring right" to copyright for the media. The media should receive more income for appearing in aggregators such as Google News or Meneame, or in social networks such as Facebook and Twitter.

Who is behind this?

Among others are Agence France-Presse , Prisa, and other signatories of the 'Canon AEDE' agreement, Europa Press, and other media conglomerates. They justify their actions by citing the need to safeguard quality journalism and the plummeting copyright revenues of media outlets.

The reform, if properly implemented by member states, “can help keep journalism in the field, which, according to all the evidence, remains the best way to combat disinformation,” said Fabrice Fries, CEO of AFP.

Adjustments and exceptions

Initially the norm was crazy and absurd, which has been softened or rather retouched. And it is that a series of exceptions have been established, in which platforms such as Wikipedia will be exempt. All these pages will be included in a memorandum, being protected and out of the noma.

What can we do about Article 13?

Luckily this decision could not come at a better time. Soon there are elections to the Parliament of Spain and the European Parliament, which opens the possibility of a new moment. If the decision is followed, we could choose to elect parliamentarians to remove the censorship they are trying to impose. It will not be an easy task, but it is good to raise awareness of the importance of a censorship-free internet.