Australia's Retaliation: A New News Tax for Big Tech / Meta's U-turn and Australia's Response
Australia takes a stand against Big Tech, introducing a new news tax to force platforms like Meta and Google to pay for news content.
Matilda
Australia's Retaliation: A New News Tax for Big Tech / Meta's U-turn and Australia's Response
In a surprising move, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has decided to cease paying Australian news publishers for content shared on its platform. This decision comes after Australia implemented the News Media Bargaining Code, a law designed to force tech giants to negotiate fair payment deals with news organizations. The News Media Bargaining Code: A Brief Recap The News Media Bargaining Code, enacted in 2021, aimed to address the power imbalance between tech companies and news publishers. It required platforms like Facebook and Google to negotiate commercial deals with news outlets for the right to display their content. Meta's Withdrawal and Australia's Countermove Meta's decision to pull out of these agreements has prompted a strong response from the Australian government. In an effort to recoup lost revenue for news publishers, the government is considering introducing a new "news tax" that would force social media and search engine companies with annual Aus…