The European Parliament voted on Tuesday to approve changes that would make platforms such as YouTube responsible for copyright violations committed by its users. Sites such as Google News could also be asked to pay publishers for use of content snippets Their own.
Technology companies have opposed the proposals and warned they need expensive filters for content. Some felt that such changes would lead to censorship.
On the other side of the two-year battle involving media companies, artists and others, they say reforms are needed to modernize copyright protection in the Internet age and ensure that they are paid a fair price for content.
This is the latest clash between technology giants and European officials, who build a stronger approach than their counterparts in the United States with regard to competition laws, data protection and taxes.