Poland Challenges EU's New Copyright Law Over Censorship Fears It says the content filtering requirement is a step backward.
By Jon Fingas •
This story originally appeared on Engadget
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The EU's contentious copyright law is already facing some opposition from one of its existing members. Poland has submitted a complaint to the European Court of Justice arguing that the law's requirement for filtering content had the potential for censorship. This would violate both the Polish constitution as well as EU treaties, Deputy Foreign Minister Konrad Szymanski told TVP Info.
Poland was one of six EU members that voted against the measure, including Finland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Sweden.
Most objections to the content filtering have revolved around the general chilling effect it might have on the web, leading to conspicuously empty search results and skittish content creators. However, Poland's concern is more pointed -- it's characterizing this as a free speech issue. There's no certainty that the court will be receptive to the argument, but Poland's move could at least draw attention to the possibility of unintended consequences.
