Taylor Swift and Paul McCartney Join Other Musicians in Call for Copyright Reform
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Taylor Swift, Paul McCartney, and other musicians are calling on Congress to reform the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.
In a in several publications, the artists claim that the law threatens “the continued viability of songwriters and recording artists to survive from the creation of music.”
In addition to Swift and McCartney, 184 other musicians signed the letter, arguing that the DMCA has allowed major companies to profit from streaming services like and , while songwriters and artists see their earnings diminish.
Swift has long been critical of Spotify. In 2014, she , explaining “it’s my opinion that music should not be free, and my prediction is that individual artists and their labels will someday decide what an album’s price point is.”
After a with Apple over artist royalty payments during Apple’s Music’s three-month trial period, she agreed to on the service since it does not have a free, ad-supported version. She later to make her 1989 World Tour Live concert film an Apple Music exclusive, and has appeared in several .
Besides criticizing streaming services, the artists claim that the DMCA’s takedown requests are cumbersome and require more resources than independent artists can muster. Under the DMCA, companies are in compliance with the law as long as they respond to takedown requests and remove links to the illegal content, even if third parties continue to host it. The Electronic Frontier Foundation that this Safe Harbor rule, while imperfect, has been “essential to the growth of the Internet as an engine for innovation and free expression.”
The letter does not mention specific solutions, and is similar to complaints artists have made in the past. For now, it simply calls for “sensible reform that balances the interests of creators with the interests of the companies who exploit music for their financial enrichment.”
As , the effort is largely a shot at YouTube, which to be a for those who want to listen to music, and comes as music labels are negotiating renewed licensing deals with YouTube.
Taylor Swift, Paul McCartney, and other musicians are calling on Congress to reform the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.
In a in several publications, the artists claim that the law threatens “the continued viability of songwriters and recording artists to survive from the creation of music.”
In addition to Swift and McCartney, 184 other musicians signed the letter, arguing that the DMCA has allowed major companies to profit from streaming services like and , while songwriters and artists see their earnings diminish.
