- Germany edition
- Change edition:
- France |
- Norway |
- Spain |
- Sweden |
- Switzerland
YouTube puts Germany into digital dark ages
Published: 30 Jan 13 07:22 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/sci-tech/20130130-47633.html
YouTube’s dispute with Germany’s music rights authority GEMA has resulted in the country being cut off from more than 60 percent of the website’s most popular videos, according to a new analysis.
- Fan wants Bayern ticket-Oktoberfest beer swap (24 May 13)
- Brewers: 'No fracking with our German beer' (23 May 13)
- Ten German body parts (23 May 13)
And now an app developed by the Berlin-based data journalism outfit OpenDataCity shows the extent of the digital embargo. Germany cannot see 61.5 percent of YouTube’s top 1,000 videos – far more than the 15 percent blocked in South Sudan and the five percent that is taboo in the Vatican.
Supported by MyVideo. Made by OpenDataCity. This App is under CC-BY 3.0.
The reason for the web blackout is YouTube’s row with GEMA, which is demanding €0.00375 each time a video is played. YouTube, on the other hand, is offering a share of its ad revenue, seeing itself as a platform rather than music provider.
Though GEMA has made itself very unpopular in Germany for its much-criticized approach to collecting royalties in the internet era, most of the videos are blocked pre-emptively by YouTube.
GEMA is now suing YouTube for making it seem like it is condemning German web users to the digital dark ages.
The Local/mry
What do you think? Leave your comment below.
Bayern defeat Dortmund in Wembley thriller
Arjen Robben scored a heart-stopping 89th-minute winner to earn Bayern Munich a dramatic 2-1 win over German rivals Borussia Dortmund on Saturday after a thrilling Champions League final at London's Wembley Stadium. READ () »
Merkel: business must fight immigrant prejudice
Chancellor Angela Merkel on Saturday called on Germans to fight prejudice against immigrants ahead of next week's integration summit. READ () »
Chinese premier visit to strengthen trade ties
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang will meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday as the two export powerhouses seek to further strengthen economic ties amid brewing trade spats between Beijing and the EU. READ () »
Skyscraper festival hits new heights in Frankfurt
Frankfurt city skyline is being celebrated this weekend with a skyscraper extravaganza. Hundreds of thousands of visitors are expected to witness spectacular events, daring feats and music in the sky. READ () »
Police put Germany on terror alert for CL final
German security services have been put on high alert after picking up terror warnings for public viewings of Saturday night's all-German Champions League final. READ () »
Helicopter sprays 220 kids with insecticide
15 young children were taken to hospital late on Friday after bug-busting authorities in North Rhine-Westphalia accidentally dumped toxic insecticide over a primary school during playtime. READ () »
Bundesbank chief: allow eurozone defaults
The head of the German central Bundesbank Jens Weidmann said on Friday that eurozone countries should be able to default, a possibility which the EU has gone to great lengths to avoid during the current crisis. READ () »
Nationwide cannabis limit rolls nearer
Germany could in the future have a country-wide “tolerable limit” for cannabis possession, it was reported on Friday. Currently, this amount differs between states. READ () »
- 22/05 Rösler wants dual citizenship for IT talent »
- 22/05 Germans bathe easy in clear waters »
- 20/05 Germany grapples with nuclear energy phaseout »
- 14/05 German court cuts off Google's auto-complete »
- 12/05 West tested drugs on '50,000 East Germans' »
- 11/05 Eighty percent of Germans apply for jobs online »
- 10/05 Third of new drugs 'offer no additional benefit' »
- 09/05 Study: shorter winters threaten Alpine wildlife »
- 09/05 How our brains grasp giggles, grunts, guffaws »
- 08/05 Hamburg's technicolour train stop wins prize »
More news from France at thelocal.fr
More news from Norway at thelocal.no
More news from Sweden at thelocal.se
More news from Switzerland at thelocal.ch
See all ads | Join the Marketplace
-
PsyShrink Munich
The Expat Psychologists in Munich, Frankfurt and worldwide -
Chambervelt Rooselain & Cie Ltd.
Insurance and financial planning for English speakers in Germany -
PsyShrink Frankfurt
The Expat Psychologists in Munich, Frankfurt and worldwide -
Weiss Institut
Free yourself from Smoking addictions, Sugar craving and Alcohol addictions -
British Corner Shop
British Corner Shop - The online supermarket for expats -
Shiply Worldwide Ltd
Shiply the Online Transport Market Place
916 jobs available
642 new jobs this week
0 new jobs today
- Operating Officer for Global Compliance m/f
- Manager Product Development TWC / Insecticides
- Innovation Manager International Packaging Technology (m/f)
- Marketing Management Trainee Programme in Hamburg
- Senior Process Engineer - (m/w)
- Automation Engineer - (m/w)
- Senior Buyer/ Availability Manager - (m/w) as soon as possible
- Junior Utilities Engineer - (m/w)
- HR High Potentials - Manager HR Projects (m/f)
- Financial Analyst Accounting (m/f)
- Apr/09 Touring Tempelhof – Europe’s Largest Historical Monument
- Apr/09 Spring in Berlin 2013 – Where, What Why and When!
- Mar/12 Living Like a Local – Tell us what you think and win a weekend in Berlin!
- Feb/04 Escaping the City – Our Recommended Suburban Getaways
- Feb/04 Berlin Tegel Airport Transfers – How to get into the City
Dating
Looking for your own blonde bombshell? Or is the strong, silent type more your
style? Find a German sweetheart here.
Weather
"After clouds comes clear weather," say the Germans. But what about after that? Find out in The Local's weather
section.
Blog
German stuff that's distracting us today.
Noticeboard
Whether you want to buy, sell, hire, announce or promote something, here's the place to do it - completely free of
charge.
Discuss
Debate the news, ask for advice, make friends - or just let off steam.
Register now for:
> Free use of noticeboard
> Special discounts
> Weekly news roundup
> Unlimited use of discuss
- Dual Vocational Training in Europe – An Export Winner “Made in Germany”
The dual vocational training system “Made in Germany” is enjoying an amazing comeback – all over Europe.... - Let’s read together! Parents and the Promotion of Reading
It is good for children when they read a lot and actually enjoy it. - Collectivity and Representations of Community in Dance
With its streams of data and traffic, the present age is creating new forms of community. - Living Like a Poem – Sarah Kirsch Dies (05/23/2013)
On 5 May 2013, the poet Sarah Kirsch died after a short but serious illness in Heide in Schleswig-Holstein.... - Food trucks – meals on wheels
Small mobile restaurants are starting to catch on in Germany and they are often far more than your average snack wagons with Currywurst and Pommes.
- So You Want to Be an Artist
The tradition of hands-on training in the arts is alive and well in Germany. Interested in studying visual, performance, or sound arts? Keen to pursue graphic and product design, textiles, or typography? Germany is home to many exceptional art schools as well as a rich history of excellence in and support for the arts. - Frankfurt's Skyscrapers: A Guide
Frankfurt is known for banks and skyscrapers. So what is behind the colossal glass, steel, and stone facades of the city’s buildings? Meet Frankfurt’s tallest. - Conference - Pioneers on Dual Training Abroad
Germany‘s system of dual training is one of the foundations of its economic strength. - The all-German final in Wembley
Bayern München and Borussia Dortmund are playing in the final of the Champions League at London’s Wembley Stadium. - German first feature film in Cannes
A directorial debut from Germany makes it to the competition “Un Certain Regard” at the famous film festival on the Côte d’Azur.
- Theatre festival between the Saar and the Mosel
The Festival Perspectives in the German-French region around Saarbrücken is staging European theatre, dance and music productions. - The European Year of Citizens
2013 is the European Year of Citizens. - Europe Day, Robert Schuman and Class 4a
Enthusiasm for the idea of Europe – in the 60th European Competition, schoolchildren from Germany show what this could look like. - Relief organizations
The portals presented here provide information on the help programs offered by different organizations.
- Design Engineer Aerospace in Toulouse
- Design Feasibility Engineer / Craftsmanship Engineer (m/f)
- Director User Experience (m/f) at XING
- Ingenieur Sondergasapplikationen (m/w)
- Lead Commodity Leader (m/f)
- Lead Commodity Leader (m/f)
- Praktikum Information Management / Internship IM (m/f)
- Product Manager / Engineer (m/w) for our Search Engine
- Senior Anti-Virus Researcher (m/f)
- Senior Strategic Project Manager (f/m)
- 25/05 VOICE STUDIO BERLIN
- 25/05 1942 5 Reichsmark
- 24/05 Writers needed for music magazine
- 19/05 Car Boot Sale Herford
- 17/05 paid internship
- 17/05 Stop Smoking & Addiction Support
- 03:30 Father-in-Law refers to me only as Frau
- 02:51 What do you like about the German public schools?
- 02:40 Amusing signs
- 01:42 Schwarzfahren - three strikes and you're out
- 01:18 Looking to make some friends in the Frankfurt area
- 01:13 20ies Something- feeling lost
- 01:07 Banks offering service in English
- 00:43 2013 UEFA Champions League Final
- 00:25 Using a Dutch bank account & card in Germany
- 00:06 Calling all video gamers
Start trading shares, equities, forex, etc. No commission on equities; Low min. margins. Apply for a CFDs account now!
'Charming, old, beamed cottage for holiday let in Jesus Pobre, Alicante, Spain
www.littlehouseinspain.com/
Professional and qualified consultancy on all insurance and finance matters in Germany, Telephone: +49 2163 571 1740, Email: bg@albatross-assurance.com
www.albatross-assurance.com
Visiting Berlin anytime soon? Book your hotel in Berlin here.
For home-from-home holiday accommodation, search for a Berlin apartment to rent.
Your comments about this article:
So backwards and stupid but mainly greedy.
Also blocked are teaching videos, videos on new techniques and technology, for instance.
This should be regarded as an act of treason against the German people.
The entire Gema structure should be dismantled and the leaders prosecuted.
I am neither being sarcastic nor smartass, if someone provides some help, he or she is very thankful
F**k GEMA.
By the way does anyone else have that really annoying Hewlett Packard advert popping all the time when watching YT vids....? Just asking ;)
wa
Though it isn't the only one. RIP Aaron Swartz. And, in the US, using that subsidized handy on the wrong network can get you 5 years in prison - 10 for a repeat offence.
Ask ANY musician....Hardly any of the money gets the the actual starving musicians. They are now just leeching off the intellectual property of someone else and really should not have the legal authority they have to make demands for payment for SOMEONE else's work. Technically, even your average street performer that is playing their OWN work is suppose to file paperwork with GEMA to perform said works in public. What a joke!
I can see the day that GEMA hires street performer auditors to demand proof that the proper documents have been filed with GEMA and payment arrangements to play their OWN works are made in advance. The street performer would HAVE to collect money to pay the GEMA fees!
The only way around GEMA is to have a private performance. Clubs should really revolt and accept attendance by explicit invitation for private performances only. Thus making any music performance a private event that no longer falls under the legal authority of the GEMA system. Only after all the money dries up will GEMA have to start laying off the over-paid lawyers, thus reducing GEMA's effectiveness at collection. They use search engine technology to scan club, personal musician web pages for performance dates. It is very likely they will just send you an invoice with a demand for payment if any of that information is available on the internet and searchable.
Thanks for the tip. It works!
@ mobaisch
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gesellschaft_f%C3%BCr_musikalische_Auff%C3%BChrungs-_und_mechanische_Vervielf%C3%A4ltigungsrechte
Then again, why is there such a big fuss about it? Fair enough, youtube has probably the biggest music / video file availability on the web but it's hardly the only one. There's Daily motion, Metacafe, Vimeo, etc..
Besides, If u still can't find what u're looking for, just google whatever u'd like to see and hit 'videos'. Some interesting results will probably come up.
GEMA, why should they be paid for service that I have already paid for.This is far different than file sharing where you can burn DVDs or music CDs with out consent of the creator and decrease their revenue.
+How you like the idea of anonymous:
The only way to stop GEMA and others from doing false censorship is to put their nuts in the vice and to turn the handle. Or in other words to hit them in the money with an automatic fine for issuing a false take down request where the fine should quickly scale up the more false censorship they do.
As for me, when I was in Germany I used Nederlands VPN, so here are some invitations to f**k GErmanMAfia: seed4.me/invitations - Herzlich Willkommen!
The problem is that GEMA is only doing what you suggest.
Short version: I write. I compose. I have posted arias from my most recent opera on Youtube. I wrote the libretto, I composed the music, I created the video on my own computer. GEMA blocks them, saying there "might be" a copyright issue. Since I own all of it, exactly who else could have a valid claim? When I ask, they won't respond beyond the standard form email.
In a nutshell, they're just a bunch of thugs. I can't even see my own work when I'm in Germany because it's routed through a German ISP. Why should I have to tolerate that, and...if they're supposedly protecting me...the starving musician...where's my money?
wa
@Louie I don't want to use your music, and I doubt you have ever produced anything worthwhile. Yet, I am forced to pay hundreds of euros a year in fees on media and device that go to people like you.
Just a fortnight ago I uploaded a video of the annular eclipse in May in Bryce Canyon, Utah, for which I used a Native Indian flute piece by John Huling from a CD I bought in Arizona in 1997. The German music distributor Dance All Day slapped adverts on it claiming it was a tune called Ya'ah'tee from the album Daheen on the Regen record label which was released in September 2011. I listened to it on line; it was the same tune but overlaid with electronic drums and spoken "song". It is quite awful. I protested, but was overruled. Then I wrote three mails to DAD, two in German and one in English. I was threatened with being struck off by YT unless I could prove that I had not infringed DAD's copyright. I stuck to my guns and Dance all Day retreated and removed all adverts.
GEMA is giving Germany a bad name here in the UK among my YT friends.
When you can prove why you block say,English music from 30 years ago or prove that the money collected goes to the original artist fair enough.
But you can't ,and until German gets rid of GEMA it will remain a music (not classical) backwater.
Also who says GEMA has the right to "grant rights" particularly to none German bands and artists?
I will have you know that i pay for all my music via itunes, but I listen to it via utube, and that my daft friend is not stealing, I can get the utube video in the US and I do, but not here.
So the next time I am in Big Buy or Walmart where you can listen to an artist music using those nasty headsets I am also stealing.
Ok, reasonable comeback.
My point is that for some reason here in Germany they can not reach an agreement, why here and not elsewhere? Iam sure that in the USA they are remunerated for their creative content.
I believe GEMA in its draconian approach to protecting artist, are infringing upon the principal of internet freedom. I am not advocating that creative content should be free, I am wondering why it is a problem mainly here in Germany.You obviously know more about this subject than I so why in Germany and for lack of a better example not in the USA.
That is a bald faced lie. In Germany, I have to pay tons of money for music, film, or TV I don't want to hear or see. I am forced to pay for radio and TV fees, through device fees, and through taxes.
And I'm not a cheapskate: I buy music. I simply do not want to listen to, or buy, the kind of garbage produced by German artists.
If what you say about the agreement with the U.K. is correct and I have no reason to doubt your word.
Why are the you tube video available in the U.K. and not here?
Unfortunately, for personal reasons, I do. And since I am forced to pay for this nonsense, I certainly have a right to complain about it.
The fact remains: you're lying when you say that people have a choice whether to pay for music or not. In Germany, everybody is forced to pay, whether they want to listen to the crappy music German "artists" produce these days or not.
This new law is one of the most self-serving, arbitrary (and I don't say it often) but dumb things the German government has inflicted recently. I agree with that part of the comment completely. The other part about crappy music German 'artists' etc. however, lessened their comment into the realm of petty, personal snark.
As far as Louie goes, I can understand belief in and support of an organization they feel benefits certain parties they are involved in. I certainly agree with aspects of the principles, as a writer and publisher, you put an enormous amount of time, creativity, funds and your spirit into your and your clients' work. Having people steal from you, which is what it is, when they illegally download, share, etc. isn't what you want, need or should have to tolerate.
Basically, I think they have a good "heart" and mission, but GEMA needs to reevaluate some of its goals and pursuits and yes, as some others have suggested, come into the 21st century and find new ways to protect artists without antagonizing and alienating society in general. That will only lead to their eventual downfall.
Don't tell me that GEMA is about artist's rights, those are protected by copyright. GEMA is about German artists enriching themselves based on the creative output of others.