Australia's New Tech Rules Target Big Tech Giants

Australia's center-left government will introduce regulations that could fine Big Tech firms for not compensating media outlets for news content. If negotiations with publishers are rejected or news is removed from platforms, companies could still be forced to pay under the proposed rules.

Australia's center-left government is set to introduce new rules that could impose fines on Big Tech companies if they fail to compensate Australian media for news content hosted on their platforms, as reported by local media outlets.

According to the new rules, any internet firm that refuses to negotiate with publishers or removes news from its platform, similar to actions taken by Facebook-owner Meta Platforms in Canada, could face mandatory payments regardless, sources indicated.

While comments from Australia's Communications Minister Michelle Rowland's office, Meta, and Google were not immediately available, the 2021 laws mandated U.S. tech giants like Google and Meta to pay media companies for user-driven link traffic. The government can determine the fees if negotiations falter.

(With inputs from agencies.)