SYDNEY: Australia will drive Meta and Google to pay for information shared on their platforms beneath a brand new scheme unveiled on Thursday (Dec 12), threatening to tax them in the event that they refuse to strike offers with native media.
Conventional media corporations the world over are in a battle for survival as valuable promoting {dollars} are hoovered up on-line.
Australia desires huge tech corporations to compensate native publishers for sharing information hyperlinks that drive visitors to their platforms, an concept they’ve baulked at up to now.
“It is vital that digital platforms play their half. They should assist entry to high quality journalism that informs and strengthens our democracy,” Communications Minister Michelle Rowland mentioned.
Social media platforms with Australian income of greater than US$160 million a 12 months might be taxed a still-to-be-decided determine earmarked to pay for information.
However they will keep away from paying the tax in the event that they voluntarily enter into business agreements with Australian media corporations.
It’s the newest salvo in Australia’s efforts to reign within the tech giants.
Australia final month voted for brand new legal guidelines that can ban under-16s from social media.
It has additionally mooted slapping fines on corporations that fail to stamp out offensive content material and the unfold of disinformation.
