The free, the creative and the open #Internet for all: The overlooked pillar of the European Union

The European Parliament will soon decide on the copyright law reform that will define creative expression online. It includes one of the most controversial proposals: introducing automatic filtering robots that will make it impossible to share works on online platforms we now use freely, writes Axelle Tessandier.

Now is the time for all creators and artists, and everyone within the creative industry, to come together to make sure the copyright reform provides for the future of creative expression, and to defend an Internet that invites every citizen to find his/her voice, to cultivate his/her vocation and talent. An internet that nurtures connections between each of us. Creativity can do that.

Europe has always been the cradle of culture: some of the most significant creators have come from across Europe, where it has always been possible to find room for creative expression. The well-known line-up of painters who collaborated and inspired each other on the streets of Paris are today’s artists building their portfolios and running projects in a digital environment. While times and settings have changed, a fundamental truth has not: working together and sharing ideas is necessary to create something new and to grow not just the creative industry, but the entire European society. The copyright reform must acknowledge this historic lesson.

The internet culture in the EU has made it possible for the creative industry to flourish. The freedom it has provided to the creators has made it possible for talented artists to compete with the larger players in the industry. The Internet has proven it could be a force of empowerment. That’s a force of positive change and community we should promote. If you have an idea, you can present it to your audience on a platform. If you are looking for inspiration, all you need to do is open your phone and look at all the amazing work that is out there. The copyright reform should respect this power of an open Internet, and avoid adopting counter-intuitive behaviors. Sharing is caring. Stealing and copying is not the culture we should promote. But allowing a flourishing creative industry and new talents to emerge is key in this new century. Artists and creators are leaders that our Europeans societies need more than ever.

We have the opportunity to make sure that freedom of creativity is sustained online: this is a prerequisite to building a better and stronger European Union. Without the ability to publicize their work online, fresh talent would have been difficult to discover. Without the possibility to collaborate online or find inspiration in others’ work, creators would not have been able to grow. The internet has redefined what is possible for the creators, and now the European Parliament needs to make sure the copyright reform maintains the same opportunity of creative expression for everyone in Europe.

Axelle Tessandier is one of the most prominent thinkers on the digital generation and through her own company, the AXL Agency, she focuses on digital transition. Along with engaging with the challenges of digital culture, in her book, “Une marcheuse en campagne” she delivered a unique view of the engagement and the challenges of Emmanuel Macron’s campaign. 

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