Microsoft supports paying publishers

Author Moonshot.news

Published on: 12/02/2021

The conflict between Microsoft and Google concerning the Australian copyright legislation has become even more heated. Microsoft President Brad Smith in a blog supports the legislation that Google is opposing and he argues that other nations should implement the same type of legislation as the Australian government has proposed making big IT companies pay for using publishers´ content online.

Google and Facebook have argued against the legislation with Google saying that it could close its search function in Australia is the law is approved. Microsoft has in contacts with the Australian government answered that if Google is closing search, Microsoft´s search service Bing could fill the gap.

Microsoft´s president said the proposed law would address an imbalance between tech companies and the independent press.

Smith refers to the updated EU copyright directive that will be implemented in all EU member states legislation in 2021 but says European governments so far have had limited success in making Google pay publishers.

“The reason is that it’s hard to negotiate with a monopolist.”

“Yes, Australia’s proposal will reduce the bargaining imbalance that currently favours tech gatekeepers and will help increase opportunities for independent journalism,” the blog post read.

Referring to democracy and independent media Smith said “the tech sector was born and has grown because it has benefited from these freedoms. We owe it to the future to help ensure that these values survive and even flourish long after we and our products have passed from the scene.”

“The United States should not object to a creative Australian proposal that strengthens democracy by requiring tech companies to support a free press. It should copy it instead.”

“As we know from our own experience with Microsoft’s Bing search service, access to fresh, broad and deep news coverage is critical to retaining strong user engagement. This means that news content generates significant indirect value for search and social media sites – as much as $4.7 billion annually for Google, according to one recent study  – even though people often do not click through to the original story. This means that news organizations go uncompensated even while all this traffic fuels platforms that have become profitable tech gatekeepers on which businesses must advertise to reach consumers.”