Australia's government said on Tuesday that Meta, Alphabet’s Google and TikTok could be penalised unless they negotiate payments with local media outlets for news carried on their platforms.
Under a proposed “News Bargaining Incentive”, the tech giants would face a 2.25% levy on Australian revenues if they fail to strike deals, with proceeds redirected to support domestic journalism.
Communications Minister Anika Wells said it was only fair that large digital platforms contribute to the journalism that drives engagement and revenue on their services, warning that companies choosing not to make deals “will end up paying more.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese brushed off concerns about possible backlash from U.S. President Donald Trump, saying Australia would act in its national interest.
The levy would apply from the 2025–26 financial year to platforms with significant Australian operations and local revenues exceeding A$250 million, capturing Meta, Google and TikTok.
Funds would be distributed to news organisations based on journalist headcount, with greater incentives for agreements involving smaller outlets. Major Australian media groups welcomed the plan, calling it vital to the future of local journalism.
Meta and Google criticised the proposal, describing it as a digital services tax and arguing that it could make news organisations dependent on government support. TikTok declined to comment.
Australia is not alone in requiring large technology platforms to pay news publishers but its proposed approach is among the most aggressive so far. Countries such as Canada and France already require Google, Meta and other platforms to strike payment deals with media outlets, while the European Union relies on copyright and antitrust rules to compel licensing agreements.
No other country currently uses a standing tax as a fallback, making Australia’s model one of the toughest enforcement mechanisms yet - and one closely watched by governments and technology firms worldwide.
German voters cast ballots on Sunday in two state elections that could add to the political pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz, as his governmen...
Iraq has returned restricted airspace across the western part of the country to civilian authorities, ending limits imposed for military operations...
Denmark and Greenland have moved to reassure the public that their sovereignty will remain intact under a new security agreement with the United St...
Saudi civil defence sent an all-clear on Saturday after issuing alerts for a second time for potential danger in Riyadh and the city of Al-Kharj east of the capital, amid an uptick in attacks by Iran-aligned Houthis on the Gulf country.
Houthi attacks target Riyadh amid concerns over Saudi oil supplies, as Iran says it will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until its conditions are met and U.S. commitments are implemented, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday.
The U.S. State Department approved a $2.7 billion military sale to Ukraine for air-defence development upgrades, along with related equipment and services, the department said. Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities reported at least 10 people had died in Russian attacks over the last 24 hours.
The death toll from an overnight Russian attack on the Kyiv region rose to four, including three children, Kyiv regional authorities said on Sunday. A mother and her two 3-year-old children were killed when a Russian drone strike hit a private home, the emergency service said.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that additional news organisations could be barred from the White House, hours after announcing bans on CNN, MS NOW and Politico over coverage he described as “fake news”.
German voters cast ballots on Sunday in two state elections that could add to the political pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz, as his government faces growing public frustration and a resurgent far right.
Iraq has returned restricted airspace across the western part of the country to civilian authorities, ending limits imposed for military operations against Islamic State since 2016, the Transport Ministry said.
Denmark and Greenland have moved to reassure the public that their sovereignty will remain intact under a new security agreement with the United States.
World leaders are set to gather at the United Nations General Assembly in New York for several days of high-level debate, with Iran, Ukraine, artificial intelligence (AI) and a range of global crises expected to dominate discussions this week.
Ed Sheeran has broken his silence on the controversy surrounding his U.S. tour, apologising for decisions made after rapper Macklemore was removed from the line-up over his public support for Palestine.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment