EURO ORGS CONDEMN YOUTUBE, COHEN

While Americans were stuffing themselves on Thanksgiving, five European trade organizations, including the IFPI and IMPALA, issued a joint statement titled “YouTube’s Fact-Free Fear Mongering” in response to Lyor Cohen’s typically spurious attack on Article 13 of the Copyright Directive.

In sounding the alarm, the statement confirmed—as if there were any doubts—that Cohen’s Trumpian tactics are hurting YouTube more than helping it. His stream of lies and bullshit, along with his bullying and threats, have destroyed any possibility of trust. As with Trump, his mendacity is impervious to facts and his impulse, when cornered, is to bare his fangs.

Without mentioning the name of YouTube’s mouthpiece, the statement condemned the video giant for its "lack of respect for the EU democratic process of lawmaking," adding, "The Commission, Council and Parliament have all reached the same conclusion, that there is a value gap… where user upload services are making vast sums of money on creators’ content uploaded by their users, but not paying the right holders who own that content fairly… To correct that situation, platforms like YouTube should have to take responsibility for the content they use and monetize by fairly remunerating their creators and right holders.

“YouTube’s eleventh-hour campaign of fact-free fear-mongering should be seen for what it is: an attempt to derail the EU democratic legislative process.”

“YouTube constantly refers menacingly to ‘unintended consequences’ if the Directive is adopted, and threatens to block content, instead of showing willingness to observe laws and fairly remunerate right holders,” the statement continued, referencing the term Cohen had employed in his lobbying. “YouTube’s eleventh-hour campaign of fact-free fear-mongering should be seen for what it is: an attempt to derail the EU democratic legislative process.”

The joint statement forced Cohen to attempt to more clearly explain his position, which had been undercut by his utter lack of credibility. "YouTube fully supports Europe's copyright reform," Lyor insisted. And if you believe that, we’ve got a large tower in Paris to sell you.

Just like his role model in the White House, Lyor will continue to spew his alternative facts and prophesy doom if this fight doesn't go his way, no matter the cost to the processes and institutions he threatens. Will the European press wake up before it's too late?