Dated:
Facebook’s parent company Meta on Monday threatened to remove news from its platform if the US Congress passes a proposal to make it easier for news organizations to negotiate jointly with companies like Google and Facebook. of Alphabet.
Sources briefed on the matter said lawmakers are considering additional newspapers The Competition and Conservation Act becomes an annual defense bill that must be passed as a way to help the struggling local journalism industry.
meta Spokesman Andy Stone in a tweet said the company would be forced to consider news removal if the law were passed “instead of following through with government-mandated negotiations, disregarding any values we hold.” I deliver to news outlets through increased traffic and subscriptions.”
He added that the proposal doesn’t recognize that publishers and broadcasters put content on the platform because “it’s profitable for them – not the other way around.”
News Media Alliance, a trade group representing newspaper publishers, is urging Conference to add the bill to the defense bill, arguing that “local newspapers can’t stand a few more years of Big Tech’s use and abuse, and the time to act is running out.
If Congress doesn’t act soon, we risk allowing social media to become America’s de facto local newspaper.”
More than two dozen groups including the American Civil Liberties Union, Public Knowledge and the Computer & Communications Industry Association on Monday urged Congress not to approve a local news bill saying it would “creates an antitrust exemption for publishers and broadcasters” and argues the bill does not require “that proceeds through negotiation or arbitration will even be paid to journalists. “
A similar Australian law, which came into force in March 2021 after negotiations with major tech companies led to the halting of Facebook’s news feed in the country, has largely worked, a government report said.
The report adds that since the News Media Bargaining Code came into effect, various technology companies including Meta and Alphabet have signed more than 30 agreements with media companies, compensating them for Content generates clicks and advertising dollars.
(Reuters)
