GitHub call for Article 13 amendments

 

14 March 2018

A GitHub blogpost has called for software developers to petition EU policymakers to exclude “software repositories” from the scope of the filtering obligations of Article 13. The blog notes that content filters, whilst primarily aimed at video and audio platforms, will also impact code uploads, ultimately resulting in software that is “less reliable and more expensive”. GitHub has previously expressed concern at the proposed Copyright Directive, and is a member of Save Code Share. In a white paper published by this initiative, GitHub’s Vice President of Law and Policy noted that:

“Article 13 creates a high level of uncertainty for the software industry and the free and open source software community, which are drivers of economic growth, jobs, education, innovation, and the democratisation of technology. The article should be struck entirely, or at least tailored to exclude software development.”