New EU law could completely change how the internet works and outlaw memes, campaigners claim

The European Parliament is about to vote on a new law that campaigners claim could completely change "the free and open internet as we know it." It would potentially mean that tech companies would be forced to scan every single thing posted to their sites – and take down anything they think might be stolen. Prominent figures from the tech industry wrote an open letter to the President of the European Parliament warning that Article 13 represented an "imminent threat" to the future of the internet. "Article 13 takes an unprecedented step towards the transformation of the internet from an open platform for sharing and innovation, into a tool for the automated surveillance and control of its users," the open letter warns. "We support the consideration of measures that would improve the ability for creators to receive fair remuneration for the use of their works online. For the sake of the internet's future, we urge you to vote for the deletion of this proposal."