During the plenary session (01-04/10/2018) of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, MEPs vote on updated rules on audiovisual media services, ensuring better protection for children and a 30% quota of European works in online platforms’ catalogues. The new rules will apply to broadcasters, but also to platforms such as Netflix, YouTube or Facebook, as well as to live streaming on video-sharing platforms. Statements by Sabine VERHEYEN (EPP, DE) and Petra KAMMEREVERT (S&D, DE), Rapporteurs and illustrative shots.

statement

Strasbourg

plenary session

vote

VERHEYEN, Sabine (EPP, DE)

KAMMEREVERT, Petra (S&D, DE)

Audiovisual Media Services Directive (T)

Provision of audiovisual media services: extracts from the vote, statements by Sabine VERHEYEN (EPP, DE) and Petra KAMMEREVERT (S&D, DE), Rapporteurs and illustrative shots

SOUNDBITE (German), Sabine VERHEYEN (EPP, DE), rapporteur, Until now the online platforms did not fall under any regulation. We want to achieve with this directive a sort of level playing field between the &lsquo;classical&rsquo; media and the AV media in the internet. In the future for the online platform there will be the protection of minors, in form of indicating the age limit, also the possibility that parents can use a filter software and by this only allow certain content to be viewed by their children, there we need the technical facilities. For the online platform there will be a change concerning the advertising transparency, which will be similar to those that exist for the &lsquo;classical&rsquo; radio and TV, this is a clear marking if content is sponsored and if there is advertising, so that we can recognize it.

SOUNDBITE (German), Sabine VERHEYEN (EPP, DE), rapporteur , (On the 30% of EU content for video on demand sites) On the one side we have a lot of European content, therefore it should not be a problem, and on the other side this only concerns the video on demand sites, so not YouTube and others, because that is a different sector. The video on the demand platforms should realise the 30% very soon. There is plenty of content and even today most of the platforms have been 18-20 % European content, some even 25% therefore the new task is not too big.

SOUNDBITE (German), Sabine VERHEYEN (EPP, DE), rapporteur , We want in any case that on platforms such as YouTube or Facebook, that in an ex ante action , so if something becomes known, that something represents hate speech, or incitement to terrorism or violence, that this will be taken off line.

Introduction shot Ms VERHEYEN, (1 shot), Introduction shot Ms KAMMEREVERT, (1 shot)

SOUNDBITE (German), Petra KAMMEREVERT (S&amp;D, DE), rapporteur , Until now we had in the media directive only the classical linear TV regulated and video on demand services like Netflix and amazon prime, and now we included as well video platforms like Youtube, or others that offer user generated content. Now we have created a level playground for service providers, what we do demand online platforms, for example in the area of advertising is, where there is advertising, sponsoring or product placement then it must be announced, like we have it in the other medias as well. We have new regulations for a better protection of minors, for me it is very important to underline that we did not insist on advanced control check on content, we did not ask providers to control content in advance, if there is a harmful content, if it is hate speech, racism or something else. We ask providers as soon as they are aware about a harmful content that they take action.

SOUNDBITE (German), Petra KAMMEREVERT (S&amp;D, DE), (Soundbite continues) Or that we can imagine that they have knowledge about it when they place connected advertising around it, then we know that they know what they do and they must act, either label it, that it could be a harmful content for kids, that it is flagged, or that the parents get technical possibilities which they are able to install themselves to protect their children. We have here the problem that we do not work with broadcast times, as in the TV, this content can only be shown from 10 pm on, this we cannot do. The platform providers are invited to up responsibility without checking content in advance.

European film production, example in  Gent, Belgium (4 shots)