Opinion

Column: California and Canada absolutely must call Google’s and Facebook’s bluff on news

Posted Wednesday, July 5, 2023 1:32 am

Brian Merchant

In June, Canada passed a law that will require major tech platforms such as Google and Facebook to pay a small fee when they host news on their platforms, to compensate the journalistic outlets that produced it. A similar bill recently cleared crucial hurdles in California and now has a serious chance at becoming law too.

In response, Google and Facebook say they will have no choice but to ban news altogether from their services in those markets when and if these laws go into effect.

California and Canada must absolutely not give in to the tech giants’ tantrum. This is a bluff, and not a particularly convincing one. For the sake of the beleaguered news industries in both places (yes, including this media outlet), the Canadian and Californian governments must absolutely call it.

Access more stories on News Media vs. Big Tech compensation and antitrust issues at EditorandPublisher.com/BigTechComp

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Column: California and Canada absolutely must call Google’s and Facebook’s bluff on news

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