Become a link tax mythbuster

We have been putting together some key myth-busting images that should put the link tax to bed once and for all, showing decision-makers why it's just not going to work.

The EU Commission are wavering on whether or not to keep going with the link tax. They’ve heard you and thousands of Internet users speak out: nearly 100,000 have taken action on our SavetheLink.org platform.

Now they have the final decision to make, whether or not to put the link tax into the draft copyright package. We need you to help us stop it before it gets any further.

The link tax is a form of copyright that would give publishers the right to charge a fee for using snippets of text to point to content. It’s intended to replace failing business models, but it will stifle innovation, hold journalism back, and harm our ability to access the open web.

The Commission clearly said they would listen to public input before writing the law. When they asked for your views, we sent an amazing 37,000 responses back with a clear ‘no’ to the link tax. Even publisher associations and businesses have spoken out against this bad idea.

Now it’s up to us to remind the Commission that strong public opposition is not going away. That’s why we’ve made a series of myth-busting graphics to give them a little nudge, letting them know that we know that the link tax is bad for everyone.

Choose your favourite myth-buster and tell the European Commission to abandon plans for a link tax proposal once and for all.

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Now that it is summer things might look quiet, but the Commission are working away drafting their copyright legislation. And we have heard rumours that they still have plans to press ahead, potentially even including the worst version of the link tax they’ve come up with. 

It’s time we challenge the idea that this is a balance of good for the economy, and bad for people. Their job is to make rules that are best for the EU and all the people who live there, not just for a few well-funded lobbyist groups.

Last year, before we tweeted at the Commission, they weren’t going to include us in their reporting on their platforms consultation. But thanks to your pressure they not only included your voices, but devoted many pages to analysing them.

We know speaking out on on social media has an impact. So right now is time to take the opportunity to remind the EU Commission that the link tax has failed everywhere. We know when we show the strength of our community, decision-makers will back down.