Latest news with #DataBill
BBC News
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Data bill opposed by Sir Elton John and Dua Lipa finally passes
A bill which sparked an extraordinary stand-off between some of the UK's most high-profile artists - and their backers in the House of Lords - has finally been wanted an amendment to the drably-titled Data (Use and Access) Bill which would have forced tech companies to declare their use of copyright material when training AI it, they argued, tech firms would be given free rein to help themselves to UK content without paying for it, and then train their AI products to mimic it, putting human artists out of would be "committing theft, thievery on a high scale", Sir Elton John told the BBC. He was one of a number of household names from the UK creative industries, including Sir Paul McCartney and Dua Lipa to oppose the government refused the amendment. It says it is already carrying out a separate consultation around copyright and it wants to wait for the outcome of that. In addition there are plans for a separate AI bill. Critics of the peers' proposal say it would stifle the AI industry and result in the UK getting left behind in this lucrative and booming this left the bill in limbo, pingponging between the Houses of Commons and Lords for a month. But it has now finally been passed, without the amendment, and will become law once royal assent is given."We can only do so much here. I believe we've done it. It's up to the Government and the other place (the Commons) now to listen," said composer and broadcaster Lord government has welcomed the wide-ranging bill passing"This Bill is about using data to grow the economy and improve people's lives, from health to infrastructure and we can now get on with the job of doing that", a Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) spokesperson said. More than AI Caught in the crossfire of this row were other useful proposals contained within the bill, including:New rules on the rights of bereaved parents to access their children's data if they dieChanges to allow NHS trusts to share patient data more easilyA 3D underground map of the UK's pipes and cables, aimed at improving the efficiency of roadworks by minimising the possibility of them being accidentally dug up. "So this is good news for NHS workers and the police who will be freed from over a million hours of time spent doing admin, bereaved parents who will be supported to get the answers they deserve, and people who will be kept safer online thanks to new offences for deepfake abuse," DSIT even though the Lords have decided they had made their point on AI, the argument has not gone who fought the battle have not changed their minds. Baroness Kidron, a film maker who led the charge for the amendment, told me the passing of the bill was "a pyrrhic victory at best" for the government, meaning it would lose more than it cost, she argues, is the giving away of UK assets, in the form of creative content, to largely US-based AI are many who remain defiant and they believe strongly that the UK's £124bn creative industry is under threat if the government doesn't actively engage with their demandsOwen Meredith, chief executive of the News Media Association which supported the Lords said the bill sent a "clear message" to the government "that Parliament, and the UK's 2.4 million creative workers, will fight tirelessly to ensure our world-renowned copyright law is enforced"."We keep being told that AI will change everything, which, I'm afraid, means that we will discuss this during debates on every bill," said Baroness Dido Harding in the House of Lords, recorded in Hansard. "We will prevail in the end." Sign up for our Tech Decoded newsletter to follow the world's top tech stories and trends. Outside the UK? Sign up here.
Wales Online
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Lords' objections to Data Bill over copyright threatens its existence
Lords' objections to Data Bill over copyright threatens its existence – minister Sir Chris Bryant said the continued parliamentary ping-pong, where a bill bounces back and forth between the Lords and the Commons could "imperil" the Bill Protesters in central London in May called on the Government to ditch plans to allow AI tech firms to steal their work without payment or permission (Image: PA Wire/PA Images ) The continued refusal by the House of Lords to pass the Data Bill threatens its existence altogether, a minister has said, as the Commons passed an amendment to head off a challenge from peers. Sir Chris Bryant said the continued parliamentary ping-pong, where a bill bounces back and forth between the Lords and the Commons could "imperil" the Bill. The critical stand-off arose as artists and musicians including Sir Elton John and Sir Paul McCartney, raised concerns over AI companies using copyrighted work without permission. Baroness Kidron, who directed the second Bridget Jones film, had put forward an amendment aiming to ensure copyright holders could see when their work had been used, which was overwhelmingly passed by the Lords for the second time last week. However this has not won Government backing. In a concession to win around the Lords, the Government has instead said it will give a parliamentary statement six months after the passage of the Bill, where it will update MPs and peers on an economic impact assessment, and a report on the use of copyright works in the development of AI. A parliamentary working group will also be established. Article continues below Technology minister Sir Chris said the amendments showed the Government had "unequivocally heard concerns". However Conservative chairwoman of the Culture, Media and Sport select committee Dame Caroline Dinenage said MPs had been "gaslit". MPs voted in favour of the Government's amendment, which replace the changes put forward by Lady Kidron, by 304 votes to 189, majority 115. These will now go back to the Lords for peers to approve. During the last session in the Lords, where Lady Kidron had successfully forward her amendment, she told peers it she would not hold up the Bill further if the Commons chose to disagree with it. MPs heard the Bill will help establish digital verification services, a new national underground asset register which could speed up roadworks, and allow better healthcare and policing. It would also renew UK and EU data protection laws. The current agreement with Brussels will run out in December. Speaking at the start of the Bill, Sir Chris said: "Double insistence would kill the Bill, where ever the Bill has started. I take people at their word when they say that they don't want to kill the Bill." Sir Chris added: "Its provisions have the support of all parties in both Houses. "Which is why I urge this House to accept our amendments in lieu. "And I urge their Lordships not to insist on their amendment, but to agree with us. "It is worth pointing out, that if their Lordships do persist, they are not just delaying and imperilling a Bill which all parties agree is an important and necessary piece of legislation. "They are also imperilling something else of much greater significance and importance economically; our data adequacy with the European Union." He said he was "mystified" by Liberal Democrat and Conservative opposition to the Bill. "These amendments show our commitment to ensuring considered and effective solutions as I have just outlined, and demonstrate that we have unequivocally heard concerns about timing and accountability." Conservative shadow technology minister Dr Ben Spencer said the creative industries and peers "were not buying" the Government's approach. He said: "They're not buying it because the Government has lost the confidence of their stakeholders that it will bring forward legislation to enact effective and proportionate transparency requirements for AI models in the use of their creative content." Dame Caroline said Sir Chris and the Government were not engaging with the central issue. She said: "By being cloth-eared to the legitimate concerns of the world-leading creative industries for month after month after month; they have been virtually dragged kicking and screaming to this position now, where they bring forward a couple of tiny amendments. "By gaslighting members of all parties at both ends of this building who have attempted to draw attention to this. "By somehow pitting our world-leading creative industries against AI, almost somehow presenting them as luddites, that they are somehow allergic to innovation and technology when actually these are some of the most groundbreaking and innovative sectors out there; they are using AI every single day to produce world-breaking pieces of creative content." Responding, Sir Chris said: "I would just say to her (Dame Caroline) that she clearly has forgotten that the previous government actually introduced plans which would have brought forward a text and data mining exemption for commercial exploitation of copyrighted materials without any additional protections for creative industries at all. "That seems to have slipped her mind. Article continues below "We have moved a considerable deal since this Bill started. "We have moved and we have listened to what their lordships and, more importantly, what the creative industries have to say in this."
The Independent
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Lords' objections to Data Bill over copyright threatens its existence
The continued refusal by the House of Lords to pass the Data Bill threatens its existence altogether, a minister has said, as the Commons passed an amendment to head off a challenge from peers. Sir Chris Bryant said the continued parliamentary ping-pong, where a bill bounces back and forth between the Lords and the Commons could 'imperil' the Bill. The critical stand-off arose as artists and musicians including Sir Elton John and Sir Paul McCartney, raised concerns over AI companies using copyrighted work without permission. Baroness Kidron, who directed the second Bridget Jones film, had put forward an amendment aiming to ensure copyright holders could see when their work had been used, which was overwhelmingly passed by the Lords for the second time last week. However this has not won Government backing. In a concession to win around the Lords, the Government has instead said it will give a parliamentary statement six months after the passage of the Bill, where it will update MPs and peers on an economic impact assessment, and a report on the use of copyright works in the development of AI. A parliamentary working group will also be established. Technology minister Sir Chris said the amendments showed the Government had 'unequivocally heard concerns'. However Conservative chairwoman of the Culture, Media and Sport select committee Dame Caroline Dinenage said MPs had been 'gaslit'. MPs voted in favour of the Government's amendment, which replace the changes put forward by Lady Kidron, by 304 votes to 189, majority 115. These will now go back to the Lords for peers to approve. During the last session in the Lords, where Lady Kidron had successfully forward her amendment, she told peers it she would not hold up the Bill further if the Commons chose to disagree with it. MPs heard the Bill will help establish digital verification services, a new national underground asset register which could speed up roadworks, and allow better healthcare and policing. It would also renew UK and EU data protection laws. The current agreement with Brussels will run out in December. Speaking at the start of the Bill, Sir Chris said: 'Double insistence would kill the Bill, where ever the Bill has started. I take people at their word when they say that they don't want to kill the Bill.' Sir Chris added: 'Its provisions have the support of all parties in both Houses. 'Which is why I urge this House to accept our amendments in lieu. 'And I urge their Lordships not to insist on their amendment, but to agree with us. 'It is worth pointing out, that if their Lordships do persist, they are not just delaying and imperilling a Bill which all parties agree is an important and necessary piece of legislation. 'They are also imperilling something else of much greater significance and importance economically; our data adequacy with the European Union.' He said he was 'mystified' by Liberal Democrat and Conservative opposition to the Bill. 'These amendments show our commitment to ensuring considered and effective solutions as I have just outlined, and demonstrate that we have unequivocally heard concerns about timing and accountability.' Conservative shadow technology minister Dr Ben Spencer said the creative industries and peers 'were not buying' the Government's approach. He said: 'They're not buying it because the Government has lost the confidence of their stakeholders that it will bring forward legislation to enact effective and proportionate transparency requirements for AI models in the use of their creative content.' Dame Caroline said Sir Chris and the Government were not engaging with the central issue. She said: 'By being cloth-eared to the legitimate concerns of the world-leading creative industries for month after month after month; they have been virtually dragged kicking and screaming to this position now, where they bring forward a couple of tiny amendments. 'By gaslighting members of all parties at both ends of this building who have attempted to draw attention to this. 'By somehow pitting our world-leading creative industries against AI, almost somehow presenting them as luddites, that they are somehow allergic to innovation and technology when actually these are some of the most groundbreaking and innovative sectors out there; they are using AI every single day to produce world-breaking pieces of creative content.' Responding, Sir Chris said: 'I would just say to her (Dame Caroline) that she clearly has forgotten that the previous government actually introduced plans which would have brought forward a text and data mining exemption for commercial exploitation of copyrighted materials without any additional protections for creative industries at all. 'That seems to have slipped her mind. 'We have moved a considerable deal since this Bill started. 'We have moved and we have listened to what their lordships and, more importantly, what the creative industries have to say in this.'
Telegraph
05-06-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
We must stand against AI theft
Most people would agree that theft is theft, whether it takes place with the aid of a tool or without. A scammer who uses software to access a vulnerable elderly person's bank account has left them just as disadvantaged as if they had lifted the money from their pocket. In its infinite wisdom, however, Silicon Valley disagrees. Copyright material is not really copyrighted when it disadvantages the technology companies that wish to train their models on the efforts of writers, artists and musicians without paying for the privilege. This laissez-faire attitude only goes so far: OpenAI was most displeased to learn that the Chinese firm DeepSeek might have 'inappropriately' used its models, and swore to take 'aggressive, proactive countermeasures to protect our technology'. But so far as creative industries go, the belief appears to be that everything and anything is fair game. Regrettably, this attitude is shared by Sir Keir Starmer's Government, which is resisting an amendment to the Data Bill proposed by Baroness Kidron. The amendment would introduce regulations requiring AI firms to disclose which data was used during their development, enabling copyright holders to identify where their work has been used, and potentially seek licensing deals. Sir Keir instructed his MPs to vote against the amendment for a fourth successive time on Tuesday, sending the Data Bill back to the House of Lords. On Wednesday, the Government duly suffered a fifth defeat on the matter in the Lords.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sir Elton John: Labour treating musicians ‘like s---'
Sir Elton John has accused Labour of treating musicians 'like s---' in an impassioned attack on the Government over its approach to artificial intelligence (AI). The 78-year-old singer said ministers had ignored the pleas of artists after the Government suffered an unprecedented fifth defeat in the House of Lords over plans to allow tech companies to train their AI models on copyrighted materials. Speaking at a Billboard event in London, Sir Elton said: 'The entertainment business in this country brings in £125bn a year and they are treating us like s---. They're treating us like idiots.' The Rocket Man singer accused ministers of having their 'heads in the sand', adding: 'In fact, the Labour Party at the moment should be called the Ostrich Party.' The Government has been locked in a protracted standoff with the House of Lords over the Data Bill, which would grant tech companies access to any copyrighted materials unless the rights owner explicitly opts out. Supporters of the bill, who include former Meta executive and deputy prime minister Sir Nick Clegg, say the legislation is needed to support Britain's emerging AI industry. But the plans have sparked a furious response from the creative industries, including high-profile figures from the arts such as Dua Lipa, Kate Bush and Sir Ian McKellen. They have warned that the new laws would amount to 'giving away' work to tech firms and put the UK's creative sector at risk. Baroness Kidron, a former filmmaker who directed Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, has led opposition against the Bill in the Lords. Her amendment would force tech companies to be transparent about what material they use to train AI models. Peers voted by 221 votes to 116 in favour of the proposal last night. This embedded content is not available in your region. Credit: Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg – BBC One The standoff raises the risk that the entire bill could be shelved unless ministers accept the amendment or put forward their own proposals as a compromise. Sir Elton branded the political stalemate an 'existential issue' and a 'f---ing mess'. He thanked members of the House of Lords for backing the amendment, saying: 'Thank you so much, you guys. You rock.' He added: 'Copyright must be transparent and it must have an artist's full permission. These two principles are the bedrock of the industry and they must be included in the Data Bill as a backstop.' While Sir Elton attacked the Government over its approach to copyright and AI, he said: 'We're not against Labour and we want a solution that brings all parties together in a way that is transparent and fair and allows artists to maintain control of their work.' He added that the creative industries were 'not anti-AI [and] not anti-big tech either'. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has been contacted for comment. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
