EU lawmakers are considering regulations that would force Facebook and Google to pay for news content on their platforms, echoing a similar move in Australia
Move by MEPs would strengthen hand of publishers against Google and Facebook — EU lawmakers overseeing new digital regulation …
Financial Times
Context & Ripple Effects
The proposal revisits the EU’s earlier copyright framework for publisher payments from aggregators and arrives as Australia was preparing its own bargaining bill. Together, those efforts treat the value of news distribution as a negotiating issue between publishers and dominant platforms.
EU publishers gain a stronger prospective bargaining position with Facebook and Google if lawmakers turn the proposal into a payment obligation.
Facebook and Google would face a new Europe-specific cost and compliance question around displaying or linking to publisher news content.
Second-order effects
Australia’s proposed code becomes a more relevant reference point for EU lawmakers and publishers, while the EU debate adds pressure on platforms to define the value of the traffic they send news outlets.
Publishers’ negotiations with the two platforms would shift from voluntary commercial terms toward regulatory leverage, potentially changing which outlets can secure payments.
Third-order effects
If payment mandates spread across jurisdictions, news distribution is likely to be governed less as a free referral channel and more as a regulated platform-publisher market.
The proposal points to a broader EU approach in which gatekeeper platforms face obligations not only over content and competition, but also over the economic dependence of adjacent sectors.
The trend: Platform gatekeeper regulation is expanding from policing content and market conduct toward setting the commercial terms of access to news audiences.
woah. just had time today to review Australia's report on adtech (222 pages!) - hands-down the best report I've ever seen on adtech complex - creates an overwhelmingly clear picture of the problem. Hint in this image of a monopoly participating in all sides of the market. /1 http…
For those following Apple's shift to restrict use of its identifier as a vehicle for tracking (Facebook is leading the war to fight this privacy improvement), ACCC includes this interesting stat that Android's ID version is shared w/ 70+ companies across 10 popular apps. /18 http…
@MsHannahMurphy @FBoversight Love this 👍 It's important that we accurately pay journalists and content creators properly for the hard work they put into creating content we ALL enjoy.
Terrific analysis by @MrKRudd on media diversity as he takes aim at ACCC Chairman Rod Sims: “Sims' experience as an economist is acknowledged, but he is way out of his depth on the critical question of media diversity” #auspol https://kevinrudd.com/...
The rise of big tech is a huge challenge, but that's no excuse for regulator @acccgovau to give the Murdoch monopoly a free pass to destroy new media diversity. Better to have a Royal Commission to examine the whole media landscape. Me in @FinancialReview: https://kevinrudd.com/.…
MUST: An unsparing critique of Australia's new media bargaining code by Former Prime Minister @MrKRudd. The code would favor the sort of dominant, and sensationalistic outlets owned by Rupert Murdoch, to the demise of smaller, local independents. https://www.afr.com/...
@MrKRudd @acccgovau @FinancialReview Sims is missing the point of dominance by Murdoch Media The monopoly by Murdoch is under believable especially in some states. QLD 75% Sims doesn't recognise that Murdoch Media is strangling other media by crippling Google & Facebook will only…
Potentially huge: EU lawmakers overseeing digital regulation want to force Big Tech companies such as Google and Facebook to pay for news - echoing a similar move in Australia https://www.ft.com/...
Australia is in a battle with Google. Google is threatening to leave the Australia market, which would be a great outcome for Australia. I hope the politicians can hold the line. https://twitter.com/...
@MrKRudd @acccgovau @FinancialReview The mainstream media have all been dazzled by the $1billion that News Corp expects to get from the Media code. Many journalists are expecting a huge payday. Boy are they going to be disappointed #auspol
9 & News Corp r misleading ppl with their campaigns against Google & FB in an effort 2 secure billions in revenue Ppl need 2 understand this👆 It's all abt $ - not bipartisan news. & Google aren't ‘stealing’ content News Corp drafted the govt proposal https://www.crikey.com.au/...
EU lawmakers already introduced dispositions for online platforms to remunerate news through the Copyright directive, not even 2 years ago, didn't they ? 😏 https://twitter.com/...
I'm by no means across the complexities here, and I understand it could come with some retribution, but I'd be pretty proud if we did lead the charge in reining in the big-tech publishers and making them pay for news content. https://www.afr.com/...
@BernardKeane argues any Google/Facebook revenue to be “shared” from mandatory code should be disbursed through Public Interest Journalism Program because, at the moment, News/Nine could simply divert the money to prop up their bottom lines. https://www.crikey.com.au/...
By cheering on the government's proposed media code — which they stand to benefit significantly from — the deeply conflicted major media companies are misleading their audiences https://www.crikey.com.au/...
Gotta say @MrKRudd makes valid points re Mr Sim's fixation on a news media bargaining code that will further entrench Australia media monopolies. Mr Sims weak ACCC head too eager to please powerful interests imperfect understanding media business...AFR https://www.afr.com/...
Mature Hands Required: Excellent & most comprehensive look at the Google & FB story yet. We have a lot to lose as citizens (worldwide) IF this issue is not done right. @ABCmediawatch #futuristic #technologies #design #information https://www.abc.net.au/... #auspol #ALP #Greens
“Personally, we think it would be better policy to make Google, Facebook and other multinationals pay more tax. And use some of that to fund decent journalism. But maybe that's in the too-hard basket.” #MediaWatch https://twitter.com/...