As of July 4th 2018, the Internet as we know it might be dead for good.
The European Parliament is passing a new Copyright Directive. Article 13 #CensorshipMachine will impose widespread censorship of all the content we share online. Art, fanfiction, parodies, remixes, mashups, memes, etc.. Anything that you do not hold the rights over will be taken down.
Article 13 would force all online platforms to police and prevent the uploading of copyrighted content, or make people seek the correct licenses to post that content. Internet platforms hosting large amounts of user-uploaded content must monitor user behaviour and filter their contributions to identify and prevent copyright infringement.
Such filters will be mandatory for platforms including YouTube, Facebook, Tumblr, Reddit and Instagram, but also much smaller websites.
Last Tuesday (19th June 2018) a group of more than 70 people who have played important roles in building the internet and developing it (Tim Berners-Lee, Vincent Cerf,
Jimmy Wales, Mitchell Baker…) into what it is today addressed an open letter to the members of the European Parliament:
“As creators ourselves, we share the concern that there should be a fair distribution of revenues from the online use of copyright works, that benefits creators, publishers, and platforms alike.
But Article 13 is not the right way to achieve this. By requiring Internet platforms to perform automatic filtering all of the content that their users upload, Article 13 takes an unprecedented step towards the transformation of the Internet from an open platform for sharing and innovation, into a tool for the automated surveillance and control of its users. […] The damage that this may do to the free and open Internet as we know it is hard to predict, but in our opinions could be substantial.”
It’s been a while since I’ve made regular posts here on Visual Laurel because I’ve been swept up in the 2018 Ontario Election as campaign manager for my husband, the Green Party Candidate for Kitchener—Conestoga.
Over the last few years the five Waterloo Region Greens ridings have been working together, setting roots in our communities, establishing an online presence, and working hard raising our Green profile.
As disappointing as the overall winner-take-all result was (giving a party with only 40% of the vote 100% of the power), I am really very pleased that all five of our WRGreens candidates—
And we are all extraordinarily pleased that in this election, the GPO did indeed achieve our primary election goal: the Ontario Green Party made history! The citizens of Guelph saw the wisdom in electing GPO Leader Mike Schreiner to represent them, so now, for the very first time in history, a Green Party MPP will sit in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.
This is the beginning of doing politics differently.
It’s been a while since I’ve made regular posts here on Visual Laurel because I’ve been swept up in the 2018 Ontario Election as campaign manager for my husband, the Green Party Candidate for Kitchener—Conestoga.
Over the last few years the five Waterloo Region Greens ridings have been working together, setting roots in our communities, establishing an online presence, and working hard raising our Green profile.
As disappointing as the overall winner-take-all result was (giving a party with only 40% of the vote 100% of the power), I am really very pleased that all five of our WRGreens candidates—
And we are all extraordinarily pleased that in this election, the GPO did indeed achieve our primary election goal: the Ontario Green Party made history! The citizens of Guelph saw the wisdom in electing GPO Leader Mike Schreiner to represent them, so now, for the very first time in history, a Green Party MPP will sit in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.
This is the beginning of doing politics differently.
Even though the lush green trees spread a heavy shade over the ground, people still feel the summer days are very long. A tower casts its clear reflection onto the still pond. Suddenly I sense the crystal curtain beads swaying lightly and I feel a gentle breeze waft by. It brings with it the sweet smell of roses and fills the entire courtyard with an intoxicating fragrance.
Part of a 4 Seasons Group of Murals in Toronto
Organized by: Ralph Thornton Centre Chinese Chamber of Commerce
