The UK Parliament recently proposed an amendment to the data bill that requires artificial intelligence companies to disclose their use of copyright-protected content.
This amendment was proposed by cross-party parliamentarian and former film director Bibiane Kidron. Its aim is to counter previous plans allowing AI companies to use copyrighted works without permission. The new amendment has been worded differently to avoid being rejected by the lower house due to fiscal privilege. Its contents stipulate that the government "can" implement enforcement clauses instead of "must," without providing specific details on how to enforce them.
Image Source Note: Image generated by AI, image licensed from Midjourney
This amendment will be submitted for debate in the House of Lords on May 19. Kidron stated: "We have accepted the Speaker's ruling and revised the original amendment so it can still provide transparency. We very much hope the government will accept this amendment as it aligns with their review and emphasis on transparency. It will provide a clear timeline for both the creative industry and UK AI companies, as well as a mechanism to regulate through licensing rather than theft."
Ivor Meredith, CEO of the News Media Association, pointed out that this new amendment eliminates direct cost issues related to enforcement, ensuring copyright holders can obtain clear, relevant, accurate, and easily accessible information about how their works are accessed and used. This provides flexibility for the government to achieve transparency. He emphasized that the entire creative industry, the public, and numerous parliamentary reports and debates have made it clear that they expect the government to take immediate action to ensure copyright holders can better enforce existing laws and apply transparency appropriately.
In Wednesday's debate, Data Protection Minister Chris Bryant said although he understands the concerns of the creative industry, he believes the transparency amendment does not provide the necessary solution and advocates for comprehensive rather than piecemeal changes. He also mentioned that the earlier the data bill passes, the faster he can advance updates to copyright law. The government's copyright proposal is currently in the consultation phase and is expected to yield results this year. However, opponents have used the data bill to express their dissatisfaction. The main government proposal allows AI companies to use copyrighted works without the permission of copyright holders to train their models, but this plan has been criticized as unfeasible.
Key Points:
📝 The new amendment requires AI companies to disclose their use of copyrighted content to protect the rights of the creative industry.
💼 The amendment provides flexibility to ensure copyright holders can access relevant information.
⚖️ The government's copyright proposal has sparked controversy, planning to allow AI companies to use copyrighted works without permission.