Meta Withdraws News Payments in Australia, Sparking Fresh Dispute
Meta, the owner of Facebook, has reignited tensions with Australia by announcing it will no longer pay for news content shared on its platform. This decision comes after a two-year battle where Australia implemented a world-first law requiring tech giants to compensate local media outlets for their content.
Meta argues that links to news articles make up a small portion of user feeds and that publishers retain the right to post their content directly on Facebook pages. However, the Australian government and news publishers see this move as a "dereliction of commitment" to supporting a sustainable local media landscape.
This latest development follows similar decisions by Meta in France and Germany, raising concerns about the company's commitment to fair compensation for news organizations. The Australian government is currently seeking advice on its next steps, potentially including further regulatory action.
