MPs have called for an update to copyright laws and a “freelancers champion” to improve pay and conditions for workers in the creative industry.
A new report from the Culture Media and Sport Committee has highlighted “precarious” rates of pay and working conditions in the creative workplace.
Recognising that a significant minority of workers in the industry is made up of freelancers and the self-employed, the Committee has recommended the establishment of a cross-departmental freelancers’ commissioner to advocate for creative freelancers and address wider issues around contracts and working conditions. The committee also called on the government to act to ensure creators are paid when their content is used by AI systems.
Chair of the CMS committee, Dame Caroline Dinenage MP, said: “Many are failing to share in the global success of the UK’s creative industries as the sector struggles to navigate a perfect storm caused by everything from the emergence of AI through to the rapid changes in the way content is consumed.
“If creators are no longer to be the poor relations, the government needs to play catch up by plugging the gaps in outdated copyright and intellectual property regulations and ensuring that there is a champion for the rights of freelancers, who make such a vital contribution to their industries.”
