The "Ordinance on the Compulsory Delivery of Media Works (PflAV)" - including all not completely private publications on the Internet - was published yesterday, on October 22.10.08nd, 10.000 and is therefore in force from today. Everyone who now publishes something on the Internet must send a copy of it to the German National Library with immediate effect. Failure to do so could result in a fine of up to € XNUMX.
* news graphic *
German National Library in a collecting frenzy.
Unfortunately, the legislature has failed to clearly define where the line is between privately and public is to be drawn within the meaning of the ordinance; the national library dreams of also bagging blogs, forums and the like. At the moment, of course, there is no question of this; the necessary storage facility and the associated procedures for the mass collection of such publications are simply lacking.
* adfunk *
According to the National Library, for the time being and until these procedures have been gradually developed and introduced, administrative offense proceedings will be avoided. This is little consolation for anyone who is confronted with additional work as a result of this law in the future, which in many publications leads to a collection of dubious value for posterity, combined with a great deal of legal uncertainty. What the legislature may have thought of the formulation "customary execution" and "customary aids for use" (§7) will probably remain a secret. As always, a growing group of otherwise unemployed lawyers are happy about such laws, who will be allowed to clear up the mess in the legal system through tireless litigation in the next few years - until a reasonably reliable legal opinion on the open questions has been established.
The regulation in full text: Federal Law Gazette (pdf)
Collection of questions frequently asked to the National Library on the subject: DNB