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December 18, 2009

Newspaper “story link tax” referred to copyright tribunal

The news clipping service Meltwater has referred the Newspaper Licensing Agency to the UK’s Copyright Tribunal over its proposed “story link tax”, Paid Content reports.

It is a move that would force online news clippings agencies to pay for providing links to newspaper stories from 1 January.

The NLA claims the move will regulate companies that profit from selling links, stating: “This is not about links: it is about profiting from someone else’s intellectual property without paying your fair share of the cost.”

Norway-based Meltwater Group CEO Jorn Lysegge says ‘This fee is not only unjust and unreasonable, it is contrary to the very spirit of the internet.”

In a statement on the Meltwater website Francis Ingham, director general of the Public Relations Consultants Association, said: “This is an absurd tax which we believe has no legal justification. We are delighted Meltwater is taking a stand against the NLA and will examine whether we can intervene to strengthen their case in the interest of our members. It is ludicrous for organisations to need a licence to receive links to coverage that is freely available to view online.”

The UK Copyright Tribunal has not yet announced if they will call a hearing.

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