Writers demand that Minister of Culture intervenes against Meta

In the letter, which was published in Aftonbladet53 Swedish Children’s and Youth Book Writers turn directly to the Minister: « We urge Minister of Culture Parisa Liljestrand to act. This is a struggle for Swedish writers, for literature and for copyright. »

The background is the US time shift The Atlantic’s revealing About Meta has used the Pirate Library Libgen to train the company’s new AI model. Libgen is a database containing more than 7.5 million books, many of which are still protected by copyright.

One of the authors who signed the letter is Inti Chavez Perez. He and his colleagues want to fight but believe that it is a struggle that must happen at government level.

– Meta uses other people’s work to create new content and make money. We do not intend to lay flat for Goliath. But we do not have the means to defend ourselves against a multi -billion company. Paris Liljestrand must stand up for our interests, he says.

In the letter requires Inti Chavez Perez and colleagues transparency. The requirement for meta is that they must report which Swedish writers and works are present in their AI training data.

– You should not have to find out if your work has been used, he says.

In addition, you want to see that META pays a license fee for the use of copyrighted texts. On the one hand, this means that as a writer you then have the opportunity for compensation, and that you have the opportunity to say no to Meta.

– I personally do not want my books to be part of a thief.

It’s not just in Sweden as a writer is angry. Even in Britain, several authors have accused meta of theft. Among other things, Nobel Laureate Kazuo Ishiguro. A Meta spokesman has told the British newspaper The Guardian That one does not agree with the charges and that meta will « vigorously defend » themselves and their new AI model.

Inti Chavez Perez has It himself has been robbed of two works. Together, the authors who have signed the letter to the Minister of Culture have been stolen on hundreds of books found in Libgen, where books by both Astrid Lindgren and Barbro Lingren are a push away.

– I got terribly angry when I found out about this. As a writer, you struggle every day with tough working conditions that have become tougher over time. To realize that you have been robbed of billionaires is extremely provocative, says Inti Chavez Perez.

He has good hope that the Minister of Culture will hear the call.

– Parisa Liljestrand often talks about how important it is for children and young people to read. But then a Swedish cultural policy is also required to make it possible to be a writer. In addition, I know that she is passionate about copyright and fat here is not fair use, he says.

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