The news media bargaining draft is a proposed legislation that would make large online platforms like Google, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube have to pay to host Australian news content.
Google sees this as a big threat to its operations as it will skew search results and provide a poor experience as penned in an “open letter” to Australians. Which is completely understandable.
However another main reason these big companies are throwing heavy opposition be that their advertising profits will be cut due to the forced sharing with Australian media companies as they will have to pay out to link their content.
The ACCC fired back to the Google letter, with this basically stating:
The draft code will allow Australian news businesses to negotiate for fair payment for their journalists’ work that is included on Google services.
This will address a significant bargaining power imbalance between Australian news media businesses and Google and Facebook.
Pretty much stating how ridiculous the whole situation is.
Then the ACCC drop this:
A healthy news media sector is essential to a well-functioning democracy.
As if to rub the whole situation in.
Why is it needed?
The proposed news media legislation is prime time Australian government in dealing with Technology and the internet, like a deer in the headlights. The legislation isn’t even needed for a start and given it will see the benefit to so-called news media sites like news.com.au make it a shonky cash-grab ruling.
Instead of giving misinformation news sites a free pass to the top so they can further spread misaligned and self-driven agendas, the regulation should be to clean up and prevent the rubbish from spewing out left, right and centre.
It can be understood why Google is fuming on this, imagine them having to pay for a news.com.au Kmart mums Facebook post article. Its an embarrassment.
The draft legislation is stated to help journalists be paid more due to the content needing to be paid for to then be passed onto the users of the platform (Google search). Yet will the news companies remove paywalls and stop the ads? It would be unlikely, just a line the pockets type of deal.
This legislation can be better understood with these news media companies getting into the ear of the Australian government in a devised plan to filter more money into their pockets.
This doesn’t affect the bloggers or little independent content posters rather only internet users and Googles end profit.
Cards are in Googles hand
The best that can happen from this situation is Google not caving in and then thus now giving the smaller, genuine news companies the top rung. Google or Facebook arent Angels and play their part in pushing “digital rubbish” and toxic content however they can still play this well by refusing to pay certain news companies.
Biting the hand that feeds you in the digital world isn’t smart, Google the most popular search engine is free to use and free to get indexed on so one must wonder, why are these news companies wanting payment for Google to push their content?