Peers vote in favour of artificial intelligence transparency amendment

NUJ urges UK government support for copyright owners following a debate of the Data (Use and Access) Bill.

On 19 May, peers voted in favour of an amendment tabled by Baroness Kidron requiring developers to provide copyright owners with clear, relevant, accurate and accessible information that will allow them to identify use of their copyright works used and how they were accessed. 

The vote carried by 287 votes to 118 and means the Data (Use and Access) Bill as amended will again be considered in the House of Commons. 

The NUJ is calling on the government to accept the amendment and listen to widespread concerns from journalists, authors, photographers and others within the creative industries urging protection for their works. 

Last week, government invoked financial privilege arguing there was no budget available for new regulations, following a vote by MPs in the House of Commons in favour of transparency amendments. 

Speaking in yesterday’s debate, Baroness Kidron, said:

“Ministers talk about balancing the interests of AI and creative companies, as if that is reasonable. Not only are they failing to listen to UK AI companies, but the idea is a little extraordinary. No other industrial sector in the UK is required by government policy to give its property or labour to another sector that is in direct competition with it, on a compulsory basis, in the name of balance.”

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