The deadline for determining the rules for Facebook a spol. how to pay for content

Next month will expire when large social platforms in our country should get to know the final form of the Slovak version of the rules, which will force those who have not done so to pay for the author’s content.

Pay content

A big wind picked up two years ago when the European Parliament approved the Copyright Directive. Its wording as a whole did not provoke such reactions and discussion as one specific article. It is the protection of artists, journalists and creators of copyright content, which normally gets into search engines for free and without consent. met a wave of criticism. And precisely from those to whom it is primarily directed. For example, Google argued loudly about the abolition of Internet freedom and censorship. According to him, this will cancel the search as we know it in its current form.

The Slovak final version of the rules is not yet clear. And despite that the deadline for acceptance expires on June 7, 2021. This fact is also pointed out by the Slovak Authors’ Protection Association (SOZA), which is interested in participating in the creation of the text. In particular, in order to ensure the rights of its members and, in general, of all authors. As SOZA writes, this will also be an additional remuneration to which the authors will be entitled:

“Authors and artists will be able to claim additional remuneration from users of their works. If the originally agreed remuneration is disproportionately low compared to the user’s income for the works. In practice, this means that if e.g. The author will find that a film in which he composed music for a low one-time reward has become globally successful in foreign distribution and on online platforms, and will be able to claim additional reasonable and fair remuneration from the person who is entitled to the license. “

How will it be in Slovakia? We do not know

Even today, the big players in the field of social media do not hesitate and make individual agreements with large publishers through their own applications and interfaces. Facebook News is an example of this (now an agreement with Axel Springer). In order for a company to be able to fill its solution with content and offer it to its users, enters into agreements and pays for the content to those who create the content. This is how Facebook wants to invest in media like payment for the content of one billion USD. In doing so, they at least ensure that those who pose a potential risk and can provoke disputes have acceptable conditions, get paid for their content and thus the majority will be satisfied.

Which way small publishers or countries where applications like News will not be will go will be decided by the setting of national legislation. As an example of the Slovak one. This will be the only option and protection for authors who do not have a global presence.