hundreds of thousands of Internet Users make daily use of the German edition of Online encyclopedia Wikipedia, in order to find quickly information, to do research for work or study or to simply expand your Knowledge. 21. March, but you must give up the Service. The German-language part of Wikipedia will shut down for 24 hours.

the authors of the Wikipedia, the work, all volunteers of the encyclopedia want to set a sign against the proposed copyright reform in the EU. This provides for, among other things, an ancillary copyright law for press publishers, as well as in article 13 – significantly more obligations on copyright protection for platforms like YouTube. Critics fear through the Upload Filter is a censorship on the Internet. For weeks, protests in the network; in Berlin, thousands of people received a Demonstration on the street.

Wikipedia content on 21. March for 24 hours to disappear

For the 23. March Europe-wide protests. With the blocking of one’s own side, two days before the Wikipedia editors want to draw “increased attention to the topic of” how to say it in an open and visible discussion of the involved User. The content of the page to disappear one day completely, only a black page with a call to contact members of the European Parliament and of the demonstrations to participate in, will be seen. Sites like Wikipedia are exempt from the copyright law reform, however, the creators of the encyclopedia to be feared that the work might be hindered by the Reform. “The proposed Reform could lead to that the free Internet is severely restricted,” reads the Statement.

About the action the Wikipedia authors online voted. A total of 233 Users participated in the vote, more than two-thirds in favour of the Protest. As a second Option was to choose to relate only with a Banner on the Homepage position. A clear majority of support for the more radical method – the complete shutdown of the page for 24 hours. At the end of March the EU is to vote in Parliament on copyright reform.

sources: Thomas plan Inger on Twitter / Wikipedia-the discussion on “public opinion/Protest against EU copyright reform” / DPA

epp with DPA