Writers and journalists rise up against Big Tech: Protest at Facebook’s head office on 29 September  

When?

Tuesday 29 September at 10.00 (the day before Children’s Book Week begins!)

Where?

Facebook Netherlands Head Office – Jollemanhof 15, Amsterdam

What’s going on?

AI companies are making a mass push into creative work. Texts written by authors, journalists and translators are being used to train AI language models. This is being done, amongst other things, via so-called shadow libraries: illegal online collections in which books and other copyright-protected texts are copied and distributed without the permission of the rights holders. There is no transparency about how this happens, and the rights holders do not receive fair remuneration. This has to change!

What are we going to do?

Writers, journalists and translators are gathering at Facebook’s head office in Amsterdam to present their demands on a large foam board. We want a collective agreement setting out fair remuneration, control over our own texts and transparency from big tech companies.

Hands off our work!

Lira, the Authors’ Union and the NVJ have Meta has been ordered to cease its activities using the texts from shadow libraries. Meta’s response does not offer a solution, so we are preparing a class action lawsuit. This action is part of a campaign in which we are asking writers, journalists and translators to support the proceedings.

Who’s coming?

We are expecting a sizeable and diverse group of authors: writers, journalists and translators. Representatives from Lira, the Authors’ Association and the NVJ will also be in attendance.Opstand.ai