Lucy's Art Blog

Here Come the Waterworks

We’re told to be tough. To be stronger than we really are. To build up walls higher than we can hope to break them down. To never let anything in, for fear of getting hurt by those who just might come too close. But as high as our walls are built and as much as we keep our guards up, just know that it’s okay to let them down, even if it’s every once in a while.

Here’s a quick rundown.

Article 13 is still in its final stages of voting. The problem is not that people don’t want to protect copyright, it’s that the LANGUAGE of the LAW is TOO VAGUE and OPEN TO ABUSE. IT COULD PASS THIS YEAR.

This law WILL impact EVERYBODY. Media platforms like YouTube will not bother to have different policies for the EU and for everybody else, they’ll just apply strict EU laws to EVERYONE.

MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WILL LOSE THEIR JOBS. You can yammer on all day about how people shouldn’t be building a career on an industry like YouTube or Instagram anyway, but the world changes, and there is actually not much different between YouTube content creators and traditional media like movies and TV. Youtubers, Instagram models, hell, even kids who use apps like TikTok are either directly or indirectly CREATING JOBS, and you CANNOT deny that. ALL OF THESE JOBS WILL BE PUT IN JEOPARDY IF ARTICLE 13 IS PUT INTO PLAY. THE ONLY CONTENT CREATORS THAT WILL BE ABLE TO THRIVE POST ARTICLE 13 IS BIG MEDIA COMPANIES.

THIS IS NOT FEARMONGERING. Is it scary, even anxiety-inducing that Article 13 could take away the only safe space that some people have—the Internet? YES. But we CANNOT close our eyes and scroll past all the article 13 posts because they make us anxious, or because they make us sad. YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. Reblog/make posts. Spread awareness. Tell your friends. AND FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, IF YOU LIVE IN THE EU, TALK TO YOUR REPS. IT IS NOT TOO LATE TO SAVE OUR INTERNET.

We’re currently going through a scare on Tumblr where your blog could get taken down at any time for any unclear reason, because they’re cracking down on child porn. That is good, but many people with perfectly appropriate blogs are having them taken down, too. The thing is, right now, you can still get your blog back without hassle if it is taken down by mistake. Imagine if your blog was taken down simply for making or reblogging a meme, gif of your favorite TV show, or simply producing art that isn’t 100% original, and Tumblr COULD NOT RESTORE IT BECAUSE THEY WOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR COPYRIGHT VIOLATIONS BY ARTICLE 13. That could be our reality. Do NOT turn a blind eye to this.

tl;dr Article 13 will 100% change the internet as we know it for the worse, and you aren’t safe even outside of the EU. SPREAD THE WORD. EU RESIDENTS CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVES.

I know you guys love to shit on MatPat here, but he made a wonderful and interesting video going into more detail.

https://youtu.be/GbXHrj8k7dg

WIPs access is literally 1 dollar a month

i don’t hide my art behind a paywall because i upload it here eventually

it’s my art you entitled donkey i have literally every right

Like, imagine we were talking about a musician instead of an artist. Imagine if someone came up to them claiming how unfair it is that they have to pay for concert tickets and albums!! ‘cause like!! they’ve been listening to their songs!! FOR FREE!! ‘from the start’!!

Just… just how does that make any sense?

Why are artists always expected to survive on thin air? It’s especially baffling when coming from someone who claims not to be able to afford a single dollar per month—which I don’t believe for a second for the simple reason that a person in that dire need of money would be waay more understanding.