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Prime Minister Petitions Google To End Discrimination Of Maltese Youtubers

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Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has personally signed an online petition to Google, urging the internet giant to allow Maltese people to get paid for making YouTube videos.

“I emailed him my online petition and he responded within 15 minutes to tell me had signed it,” Fabian Borg, an ethical hacker, told LovinMalta. “Apart from my close circle of friends, the Prime Minister was the first person to sign it.”

The change.org petition concerns YouTube’s partner programme, which allows people to get paid according to how many views their videos get in return for enabling adverts to run on their channels. 

Although around 100 countries fall within this programme, Malta is not included – making it and Cyprus the only EU countries not on the list. 

Youtube

Maltese people are not applicable for the Youtube Partner Programme

Now Fabian Borg has started an online petition urging Google to end this discrimination against Maltese content creators. 

“Whilst most people believe Google is free of charge, they fail to understand that in fact they have paid a higher price as unknowingly they consent Google to profile them,” he said. “Those with Android phones are even worse as they are also tracked down. Throughout last year, we have also seen Google invading our privacy with Google Street view cars. Anyone can Google our addresses and be presented with a fossil image of our dwellings for one.

“Its about time to balance the scale with Google once and for all. It cannot be a one-sided affair.”

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The petition has fewer than 200 signatures so far since it was launched last week, but one of them actually belongs to Joseph Muscat. 

“The petition was still in its very early stages when he signed it. I sent it to the Prime Minister via e-mail last Saturday afternoon and he got back to me within 15 minute with a one-word answer – ‘Done’. The petition signature file shows he did in fact sign it, and indeed he later retweeted the petition.”

Borg said he has also sent the petition to Adrian Delia via Messenger, but the PN leader hasn’t responded yet.

Tag a Maltese YouTuber who would like to get paid for their videos!

READ NEXT: WATCH: YouTube Star Does A Taste Test Of Malta’s Favourite Snacks

Tim is interested in the rapid evolution of human society and is passionate about justice, human rights and cutting-edge political debates. You can follow him on Instagram or Twitter/X at @timdiacono or reach out to him at [email protected]

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