REUTERS/Vincent Kessler The European Parliament has voted through tough new digital copyright laws . Two elements of the news laws - formerly referred to as articles 11 and 13 - have been hotly opposed by critics. Put simply, these impose a so-called "link tax" on content aggregators, like Google, and make websites responsible for policing copyright. But the EU said memes would be safe under the new laws. The legislation is also a long way off being implemented. The European Parliament on Tuesday voted in favour of highly controversial new digital copyright laws . The directive passed by a majority of 74 votes, prompting dismay from tech firms, academics, and politicians. Two elements of the directive have drawn particular criticism: Article 15 and Article 17, formerly known as Article 11 and Article 13. Put simply, these impose a so-called "link tax" on content aggregators, like Google, and make websites responsible for policing copyright. Below is an explanation of what Article 15 and Article 17 actually mean - and why your memes are safe. Article 17: Making websites police copyright Article 17 has proved the most contentious part of the EU's copyright reforms. It makes companies liable for content uploaded to their platforms. So if a user uploads a piece of content......