The Australian government announced on Thursday it will introduce regulations that will force companies such as Google and Meta to pay media for the content they share on their platforms. Otherwise, they will have to pay huge fees to the state budget for the right to continue operating.
– This initiative (…) will create a financial incentive to conclude contracts between digital platforms and mass media companies in… Australia – Finance Minister Stephen Jones said at a press conference.
The new law would cover large platforms and search engines whose revenues in Australia exceed A$250 million ($160 million) per year. Online platforms expressed their opposition.
– The proposal does not take into account the realities (…), especially the fact that most users do not come to our platforms for information content but for other purposes. Publishers voluntarily decide to publish them on our platforms, said a Meta spokesman. A Google spokesman argued that the government's decision in Canberra “threatens the sustainable viability of commercial agreements” with Australian media.
Online platforms have expressed opposition to the Australian plansShutterstock
Australia regulates social media
News Corp Australia CEO Michael Miller said he would immediately contact Meta and TikTok to establish a commercial partnership. “I believe that media publishers and technology platforms should have a relationship that brings commercial and other benefits to both parties,” he said.
In November, Australia became the first country in the world to ban the use of social media by people under 16, explaining that these platforms are harmful to young people. If websites such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X do not comply with the new regulations, they will face fines of up to AUD 49.5 million (approx. USD 32 million). These are the first such strict regulations in the world.
Main photo source: Shutterstock