The government have been advised by the public – the people whom they are elected to serve, after all – to tighten up copyright rules and stop tech firms from training AI models on artists’ and musicians’ works.
The results of a consultation have been published on the subject. The original survey provided three options on the idea. One proposed leaving copyright laws as they are. A second was a proposal to strengthen copyright legislation and requiring licensing of copyrighted material in all cases.
A third option – broadly supported by the tech industries and the government’s favoured choice - would allow AI firms to use copyrighted material as a default but allow individual rights' holders the ability to opt out, though “underpinned by supporting measures on transparency”.
Well, surprise, surprise - an overwhelming majority of people want tighter copyright laws and opted for option two: some 88% of the 11,500 people who replied. Meanwhile, 7% backed keeping copyright laws as they are and just 3% backed the government’s ‘opt-in’ idea.
The report published on the consultation has broken down the responses by the various stakeholders and, of course, those in the creative industries were in favour of the second proposal, while those who work in tech tended to support the other two.
The results represent significant pushback from the creative industries on their government’s plans. In a statement, BPI Chief Strategy Officer Sophie Jones, said: “It is imperative that the Government unequivocally drops its previously preferred option of a Text and Data Mining copyright exception, which is unnecessary and harmful to the UK’s creative industries and jobs it supports.”
“The government must now unilaterally drop its anti-creator, anti-business proposal and back British music and creative industries,” added UK Music chief Tom Kiehl.
The question is, will it be enough to change the government’s minds? There have been many times in the past when legislation has flown in the face of significant opposition in consultation. The government is due to publish an economic impact assessment and report by 18 March next year, as the next steps towards actual legislation. One thing is for sure - at some point in the next year, the government will have to make a choice between the UK’s creative industries or big tech.
