Australia’s Parliament has passed a law that will now allow global digital giants to pay for local news, which is being watched closely around the world. So at the same time, Facebook and Google have two months to implement these agreements.
Australia’s parliament has passed such a landmark law on Thursday, after which now it has become necessary for tech firms to pay for the news. The government said that this law will help in maintaining journalism of public interest in Australia.
After the passing of this historic law, now the big tech companies like Facebook and Google will have to pay money for news to local media companies. But both these companies, Facebook and Google, opposed the policy that paid local media companies, saying that this is not true, however after the law is passed, they will have to follow its rules.
Significantly, the entire world was eyeing this historic decision because due to this law, the accountability of media institutions will now be fixed. Experts believe that now people will invest cautiously while serving content on Google and Facebook, as well as help in resolving mutual disputes between the companies with the regulations.
The special thing is that after this law, whatever Google will show now, it will have to pay for it. Similarly, whatever news Facebook will serve under it will have to be paid. Let us tell you that this law will be applicable in Australia at the end of the year 2021.
Let me tell you that before this Facebook was forced to compromise with the Australian Government. From publishing news on its page, Facebook had also banned sharing of emergency information like earthquake and flood.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison had shown strictness against these Facebook antics, after which Facebook came on the backfoot and had compromised the government. Facebook released its statement saying that we have agreed to an agreement with the Government of Australia, now the ban has been lifted. We have decided to support a framework that enhances innovation and collaboration between online platforms and publishers.
So at the same time the government said that a law called News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code will ensure that the business related to news can help in maintaining public interest journalism in Australia.
Nidhi Malviya is fun loving girl. She writes at NoobFeeds about various topics related to Finance, Technology, Business etc.