Navigating the Waters of the Content Industry, Press Freedom, and the Digital Revolution
How Are Writer’s Rights Protected in the Digital Era? A Journey From Print to Pixels
"Some urgent thoughts from Cpt. JayR, founder of Digit PaxMentis and PoM - Peace of Mind, originally shared on Substack. This post reflects on the upcoming TikTok ban and its impact on content creators’ rights, particularly writers and authors."
You know, it's a strange time to be working in (digital) media. I’ve been around for long enough—started in the early '90s as an editor for a national magazine in the maritime sector, and since then, I’ve seen a lot. I've also been a radio presenter across different countries, creating educational content, and now, I’m running my own publishing company in the Netherlands. With all that experience in my back pocket, I’ve developed a certain curiosity about how things have evolved, especially when it comes to how writers, journalists, and content creators protect their rights in this brave new digital world.
Here’s where I’m coming from: we’re witnessing the end of an era right now. I’m talking about the US court's decision couple days ago to ban TikTok, effective January 2025. This app, loved by millions of streamers and content creators (1.3 million creators earn from TikTok alone, according to Social Blade), is about to disappear, wiping out income for a whole generation of people who’ve built careers on it. And what’s astonishing that the US court did offer a backdoor—TikTok can remain active if it’s sold by its Chinese owners, as outlined in the decision on December 2024.
This repressing decision got me thinking—how are writers, journalists, and content creators navigating this new world? - Where does the protection of their rights fit into this fast-paced, digital landscape? - Lets dive into …
But first, let me backtrack for a moment. How did we get here?
I’ve been working in media long enough to remember a time when the Internet didn’t exist as we know it today. The print era—when things were more black and white, and the rules seemed simpler—was where many of us cut our teeth. We had clear frameworks for intellectual property, we had unions to fight for fair wages, and we knew how to negotiate. Copyright laws were clearly defined and protected. In the EU, for instance, intellectual property (IP) has a strong legal foundation, protected by laws like the Directive 2001/29/EC (on copyright and related rights) and the EU Trade Secrets Directive 2016/943, which were designed to safeguard creators' rights across all digital platforms.
The European Commission also provides a wealth of resources for businesses seeking guidance on IP rights (source). As an investigative journalist, for me personally it was about connecting people with content in a way that meant something, always fact based and double checked. And that meant ensuring that writers were getting the recognition—and the financial compensation—they deserved for their hard work.
Back then, in the “pre-digital era”, a writer’s worth was measured by the weight of the magazine or newspaper they were featured in. If you were published in the right outlet, your name meant something. - But now?
Now we’ve got millions of independent so called “content creators” on platforms like Substack, Medium, TikTok, and others. These platforms have democratized publishing to an extent, but have they really protected the creators' rights? Did they really ? - Or is it all just a digital Wild West, where engagement is king and everyone’s scrambling for their next click, regardless of how they get it?
It brings us back to the curiosity I mentioned earlier. How are writer's rights protected nowadays? Who’s standing up for them? It’s a serious question, and to answer it, I want to break it down, both from a historical standpoint and from the context of the present-day digital media landscape.
The Old World of Protection: Unions, Copyrights, and Fair Pay
Let’s rewind a bit to get the full picture and why is it relevant we take a look at the rights of the “content industry” ?
The numbers are steadily increasing. In 2024, the World Economic Forum estimated that around 90 million people are working in the content industries worldwide, underlining the massive growth and importance of this sector in the global economy (World Economic Forum, 2024). This shift highlights the rising prominence of digital content creation, where individuals are not just consumers but also active creators, with significant implications for how content is produced, distributed, and regulated.
For younger generations, it’s crucial to acknowledge that the digital content revolution has deep roots. This transformation is not a modern, isolated phenomenon. It draws from a long history of labor movements that sought rights and protections for workers. Union movements, in fact, began taking shape more than 200 years ago, with the General Union of Trades, also known as the Philanthropic Society, founded in 1818 in Manchester as one of the first labor organizations to bring together workers from different occupations (Wikipedia, 2024).
As for journalists, it took more than 100 years to establish their own unions, with the first formal organization, the Fédération Internationale des Journalistes (FIJ), founded in 1926 in Paris. Over time, it transformed into the International Organization of Journalists (IOJ) in 1946, later re-emerging in 1952 in Brussels (IFJ, 2024). The National Writers Union (NWU), which represents writers across multiple platforms, was founded in 1981 (Wikipedia, 2024), while the Writers Guild of America (WGA), established in 1954, now has around 20,000 members (Wikipedia, 2024). Similarly, the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) in the UK was founded in 1907 (NUJ, 2024).
This evolution of writer’s rights under the hoods of labour unions highlights the ongoing battle for fair treatment and recognition … nowadays in increasingly complex digital and media ecosystems. It also stresses the importance of understanding how these unions played pivotal roles in shaping labor rights across various fields, setting precedents for modern-day content creators.
These unions have evolved with the times, but the old battle remains: how do we ensure that writers get their fair share in an industry that is being increasingly dominated by algorithms and clickbait?
The New World: Digital Platforms and the Clickbait Economy
Let’s talk about the modern landscape. We’re living in a time when the digital revolution has completely redefined content creation. TikTok, YouTube, Substack, and others have turned everyone into their own potential publisher. Writers, bloggers, and content creators can make a living without ever stepping foot in a traditional newsroom.
As we move into the digital age, we witness a dramatic shift in how content is created, consumed, and distributed. Many of us think of the digital revolution as synonymous with the rise of Web 2.0, the Internet of Things, or even Artificial Intelligence. However, the digital transformation began much earlier—somewhere between the late 1950s and late 1970s, when the world transitioned from analog, mechanical, and electronic technologies to digital systems (ScienceDirect, 2024). This evolution fundamentally changed industries, and the content sector was no exception. Platforms that allowed for mass distribution of media content and the ability for individuals to create and share their own stories became key players in the development of the modern content ecosystem.
But with that newfound freedom of the www comes a whole new set of challenges. Sure, writers and creators have more control over their work. But what are they really getting in return?
Many platforms focus on engagement metrics—how many people liked your post, how many shares did it get, how viral was your content? In a world driven by algorithms, quality content often takes a backseat to what’s trending. Clickbait works.
It’s clear since years that the rise of clickbait is one of the major unintended consequences of this digital revolution. Studies have shown that clickbait tactics—designed to lure readers into clicking on sensationalized headlines—have proliferated over the last decade. A 2016 study found that nearly 25.27% of headlines across media platforms were clickbait, reflecting a significant rise from just 19.46% in 2014 (ACM Anthology, 2020). This trend is problematic for journalistic integrity and the role of content creators as gatekeepers of truth and information.
Moreover, as artificial intelligence (AI) continues to permeate these platforms, there’s growing concern that these algorithms, which shape the content people see, may be further exacerbating the issue. Machine learning models, when trained improperly or manipulated for profit, risk distorting the content landscape and worsening the clickbait phenomenon (ResearchGate, 2024). In fact, AI manipulation in social media platforms, especially Facebook, has been shown to favor posts with more extreme, anger-driven content, reinforcing negative emotional reactions (Rathenau Institute, 2022).
As someone who’s worked across different countries— throught whole Europe and U.K., South America (Peru, Uruguay), and South Asia (India) —I’ve seen how these issues play out differently depending on where you are in the world. It’s a complicated, messy, but incredibly important conversation.
In countries with more authoritarian regimes, writers face censorship, and platforms are sometimes forced to comply with government demands.
Press Freedom and Censorship
The issue of censorship is not just a concern in places like India, Pakistan, or China anymore. Press freedom is under siege worldwide, including in democracies (Medium, 2024). According to the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression, Irene Khan, the decline of media freedom and the rise in threats to the safety of journalists is a global crisis, exacerbated in countries with backsliding democracies or totalitarian regimes (Human Rights First, 2024). The Reporters Without Borders’ 2023 World Press Freedom Index paints a grim picture: 11% of countries are rated as having “very serious” press freedom issues, with more than half of the surveyed countries falling into the categories of "problematic" or "difficult" (World Press Freedom Index, Wikipedia).
This is reflected in the fact that more than half of the world's journalists now operate in an unsafe environment, where their work is subject to threats, harassment, or outright violence (Human Rights First, 2024). In this context, we cannot claim that any part of the world is fully safeguarded by fundamental democratic principles, including the United States.
Platform Influence and Political Manipulation
Finally, we must address the growing political influence over platforms and algorithms. While platforms like Substack aim to empower creators, the algorithms behind social media sites, including Facebook, TikTok, and others, are often influenced by political motivations. For instance, Facebook’s algorithm has been shown to amplify anger-driven content, skewing public discourse in favor of sensationalism and, ultimately, political manipulation (Facebook Files, 2021/2022). Moreover, there’s mounting evidence that governments around the world are exerting more control over digital platforms, either to further their propaganda or to limit the flow of information that challenges their power (University of Michigan, 2023).
The rise of political manipulation in digital platforms, coupled with the increase in censorship for silencing the truth (Human Rights First, 2024), presents a troubling intersection where content creation is no longer just about creativity or expression but also about controlling narratives and securing influence. This dynamic leaves many content creators, especially those in journalism and digital writing, navigating a complicated and often dangerous landscape. The road ahead, as we’ve seen with the TikTok ban and the rise of clickbait, is set to be filled with challenges and uncertainty.
Looking Forward: What’s Next for Writers and Content Creators?
So, to wrap this up, where are we headed? - The global digital landscape for writers’ rights is incredibly diverse. Europe, South America, and Asia each have their own set of challenges and protections, but the core issues remain the same: fair pay, intellectual property, and freedom of expression. And as we move forward, it’s crucial that we find ways to adapt and evolve.
As someone who’s been in the media business for over three decades, I can’t help but feel like we’re at a crossroads. The old ways of protecting writers’ rights have to evolve to fit the needs of the digital world. Unions will always be important, but platforms and algorithms will play an even bigger role in shaping the future. The question is, how can we make sure that the creators—the writers, the journalists—are not left behind as the digital ecosystem grows?
And if we’ve learned anything from the TikTok ban or the rise of clickbait, it’s that the road ahead will be bumpy. - But we have to keep pushing for the kind of content ecosystem that rewards quality over quick hits. And it’s up to us writers, authors, journalists or publishers to stand up for and take it in our own hands.
That’s the challenge. And as someone who’s dedicated my life to data and media, I’m not giving up on it anytime soon.
References …
World Economic Forum. 2024. Remote Digital Jobs: Sectors with Maximum Growth.
Wikipedia. 2024. General Union of Trades.
IFJ. 2024. International Federation of Journalists.
Wikipedia. 2024. National Writers Union.
Wikipedia. 2024. Writers Guild of America.
NUJ. 2024. National Union of Journalists.
ScienceDirect. 2024. Digital Revolution.
ACM Anthology. 2020. Clickbait in Online Social Media.
ResearchGate. 2024. Clickbait and Machine Learning.
Human Rights First. 2024. Silencing the Truth.
Reporters Without Borders. 2023. World Press Freedom Index.
Rathenau Institute. 2022. AI and Manipulation of Social Media.
University of Michigan. 2023. Political Rage on Social Media.
P.S.: If you made it to here, thanks for reading. The digital world is full of opportunities, but it also comes with its challenges for content creators—whether it’s securing intellectual property, navigating emerging AI tools, or finding protections in this complex landscape. What concerns you most?
Are you interested in legal issues like IP protection and ownership rights for digital content?
Would you like to explore modern initiatives and tools to protect creators from exploitation and ensure fair compensation?
Or are you curious about AI's influence on content creation and what it means for the future of creativity and originality?
I’m ready to dive deeper into these critical topics from writer’s perspective. - Share your thoughts or let me know which subject you’d like me to explore next—together, we can navigate this evolving landscape and empower creators everywhere."
Regards
Cpt. JayR