I don’t get it.
The proposed EU »link tax« (charging people and platforms who are linking to a news site) is a backward idea. It will lead to fewer readers and reduced revenues for Big Media, not more money.
Aside from that, Big Media and politicians are at war with what they call »fake news«. (As it turns out, it might be more of a war against new and alternative media – to stamp out competition.)
But assuming that fake news is a real problem – then it makes the link tax even more incomprehensible.
Alt-right media, troll sites, racist web publications, civil rights activists, oppositional web media, citizen journalists, bloggers, satirists… – all but Big Media will probably opt out from (or not be included in) the link tax, as they want people to visit their sites and publications.
To put it in the simplest possible terms: A link tax will steer the public away from mainstream media – and to the very same alternative media that is accused of providing fake news.
I don’t get the logic, if any.
/ HAX
Om jag inte minns fel har Spanien haft länkskatt med förödande nedgång i antal läsare hos traditionella medier
Isn’t it “fun” how history repeats itself? Soon we will have Iron-Firewalls to keep people from surfing the “decadent” and “dangerous” side of the web. Whenever i rewatch “Demolition Man” with Sly Stallone, I see myself in a, soon to be, future paying fines for “speech violation”. Be afraid, be very very afraid. But HAX will just say “Told ya”. 🙂