Dear Father Christmas,
I have been a good online publication all year, dutifully covering the digital policy issues, interviewing decision-makers, tweeting opinions, did all my homework and ate my peas every day. Can I make a wish for Christmas, please?
I wish for a digital single market strategy. One that builds on Europe’s strengths and opportunities. That seizes the digital opportunity to create jobs, growth and culture, so that all good children can have many merry Christmases from now on.
I wish for a digital single market strategy that doesn’t knock the values of cultural diversity, creativity and intellectual efforts. One that does not build on the faith economics of digital abundance, nor gives away the works of European creators to the freenomics of big data companies or underestimates the strength and value of territorial licensing, so that all the good children can enjoy merry Christmas entertainment that is tailored to local taste and a wealth of quality content.
I don’t wish for portability of services or more exceptions to copyright, but a digital single market that puts the onus on the digital distributor to obtain licenses and share revenue with creators, so that also the good children of the European authors can eat plenty of heavy food this holiday season and the next, in infinity.
I wish for a digital single market strategy that provides European startups with access to venture capital so they can pay for the content they want to use and not have to say bad words like “permissionless innovation”. I wish for action from the search companies, platforms and internet companies so that the creators won’t have to see their profits go to illegal competitors and the legal content services can prosper. And I wish for better payment systems and rights clearance so the digital content markets can function. I wish the illegal services a boring Christmas with family fights, cold glühwein and nothing but cabbage to eat.
And I wish for a digital single market which takes hate speech seriously, that sees editorial responsibility and protection of sources as a better solution to privacy online than anonymity. And I wish for social media platforms better moderation to avoid filter bubbles, radicalization and recruitment of terrorists.
My wish this year is for a better vision of the digital single market, Father Christmas. If you grant it, I promise to be a good online publication all of next year and I think you will agree it will give a better online society, create lots of jobs and much-needed growth for Europe, as well as great culture and entertainment to keep us happy in our free time.
Wishing you a Merry Xmas!
Netopia
