Australia to Internet Platform "Pay News Content or Charge"

The Australian government has decided to push for the authorities to directly charge platform companies such as Google and Facebook if they do not sign contracts with media companies to use news content.

Vice Finance Minister Stephen Jones said at a press conference on the 12th local time that platform companies with annual sales of A$250 million in Australia and more than 230 billion won in our money should sign a contract to use news content.

Jones stressed that the policy is aimed at encouraging media companies and internet technology companies to sign news fee contracts.

"We want to get platform companies and news outlets to make great journalism through transactions," he said.

No specific billing method or amount was disclosed, but local media predicted it would reach millions of Australian dollars.

Local media said Google's Alphabet and TikTok's ByteDance and Facebook and Instagram's Meta are expected to be targeted.

In response, Google and others argued that the Australian government's decision threatens the sustainability of commercial transactions with media companies.