Australia passes controversial media law that will make Google and Facebook pay for news
Facebook and Google will have to pay up to use news content in Australia.
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What you need to know
Australia passed a law that will require Facebook and Google to pay for local news content (viathe BBC). The law saw backpack and debate from Facebook and Google but has been praised by Microsoft. The law, called the News Media Bargaining Code, passed Australia’s House of Representatives on Thursday after already having gone through Australia’s Senate.
The law requires Google and Facebook to negotiate a fee with publishers to use news content or, if an agreement cannot be made, go through an arbitration process. The law specifically targets Facebook and Google at the moment, but that could change in the future.
The law also requires tech giants to give news publishers notice of changes to algorithms, which determine which stories are displayed.
The goal of the law is to combat the power imbalance between news organizations and tech giants. If another tech giant creates an imbalance, it’s feasible that legislation could be made to affect them as well.
In contrast to Facebook and Google’s pushback against the law, Microsoft has been all for it. In fact,Microsoft President Brad Smith pushedfor other countries to adopt similar laws.Microsoft also joined Europe’s press publishersin calling for a similar setup in Europe.
While Microsoft is not directly affected by the legislation at this time, its leaders say that the company would “be willing to live by these rules if the government designates.”
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Sean Endicott is a tech journalist at Windows Central, specializing in Windows, Microsoft software, AI, and PCs. He’s covered major launches, from Windows 10 and 11 to the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT. Sean’s journey began with the Lumia 740, leading to strong ties with app developers. Outside writing, he coaches American football, utilizing Microsoft services to manage his team. He studied broadcast journalism at Nottingham Trent University and is active on X @SeanEndicott_ and Threads @sean_endicott_.
