Australia forcing IT giants to pay publishers
Australia has finalised plans to make Facebook and Google pay its media outlets for news content. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the Big Tech firms must negotiate payments to publishers and broadcasters for content that appears on their platforms. The plan resembles the European Union´s updated copyright directive that must be implemented in member states´ legislation in the spring 2021.
If the Big Tech is unable to reach agreements wig publishers and broadcasters, the government will appointe an arbitrator who will decide for them.
“This is a huge reform, this is a world first, and the world is watching what happens here in Australia,” Mr Frydenberg said. Our legislation will help ensure that the rules of the digital world mirror the rules of the physical world … and ultimately sustain our media landscape.”
Prior to the government presenting the draft law, Facebook said the social media company was considering stopping the option of sharing news if the government when ahead with its plan for legislation.
When the government presented its draft legislation, Facebook Australia managing director Will Easton said the company would review the legislation and “engage through the upcoming parliamentary process with the goal of landing on a workable framework to support Australia’s news ecosystem”.
Google declined to comment.
News Corp Australia executive chairman Michael Miller said the law was “a significant step forward in the decade-long campaign to achieve fairness in the relationship between Australian news media companies and the global tech giants”. In May, News Corp stopped printing more than 100 Australian newspapers, citing declining advertising.
Moonshot News is an independent European news website for all IT, Media and Advertising professionals, powered by women and with a focus on driving the narrative for diversity, inclusion and gender equality in the industry.
Our mission is to provide top and unbiased information for all professionals and to make sure that women get their fair share of voice in the news and in the spotlight!
We produce original content, news articles, a curated calendar of industry events and a database of women IT, Media and Advertising associations.
