Aus legislation to make Google, Fb pay for news in parliament next week
By Colin Packham
CANBERRA (Reuters) - Australia will introduce landmark legislation
to force Alphabet's Google and Facebook to pay
publishers and broadcasters for content next week, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg
said on Friday.
Australia is on course to become the first country to require Facebook and Google to pay for
news content, legislation that is being closely watched around the world.
"The bill will now be considered by the parliament from the
week commencing 15 February 2021," Frydenberg said in an emailed
statement.
With bipartisan support, the legislation - which Google says is
"unworkable" and will force it to pull out of the country altogether
- could come into law this month.
The acceleration of the bill came as a senate committee examining
the proposals recommended no amendments.
Representatives for Google and Facebook did not
immediately comment when contacted by Reuters.
The U.S. search and social media giants have pressed Australia to
soften the legislation, with senior executives from both companies holding
talks with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Frydenberg.
Google last week launched a platform in Australia offering news it
has paid for, striking its own content deals with publishers in a drive to show
the proposed legislation is unnecessary.
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