The idea of having to pay to share links to online content published by the mainstream media is one that has stimulated much debate in the UK in recent months. Not only that, it’s generated strong opposition in the PR community, and has been to court. It’s also been the subject of an awareness-raising campaign with members of Parliament.

It’s a big topic, one that has attracted opinion and commentary from many voices, and was a central feature in a debate in London last month about the future of content.

Things came to a head in London on July 27 in a ruling by the Court of Appeal in favour of the Newspaper Licensing Agency (NLA) and its right to levy a fee on commercial consumers of web content who, from January 2010, require a licence to legally view or share such content.

I’ve written about it in this blog and, in the interests of transparency, I want to make it clear that my views are aligned with those who oppose the NLA, notably SaaS company Meltwater and the Public Relations Consultants Association (PRCA).

In this guest post, Meltwater CEO Jorn Lyseggen attempts to diminish what I describe as the NLA’s FUD by explaining his perspectives and motives. He makes it clear that this week’s Court of Appeal ruling is far from the end of this matter.