Australia plans levy on big tech for sharing news

The Australian government has introduced draft legislation that could require major technology companies to pay local media organizations for news content shared on their platforms, unless they voluntarily reach commercial agreements.

The proposed laws target global digital platforms including Meta, Google, and TikTok, as part of efforts to support traditional news outlets facing financial pressure in the digital age.

With audiences increasingly turning to social media for news consumption media organizations worldwide are struggling to maintain revenue streams. Australian authorities argue that tech companies benefit financially from distributing news content without fairly compensating the publishers who produce it.

Under the proposal Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the companies would be given an opportunity to negotiate content-sharing deals with local publishers. However if they fail to reach agreements they could face a mandatory levy equivalent to 2.25% of their revenue generated in Australia.

Albanese stressed that large digital platforms must not bypass their responsibilities under the country’s news media bargaining framework. He noted that the selected companies were identified based on their significant user base and revenue within Australia.

The draft legislation also aims to prevent platforms from removing news content altogether in response to regulation a tactic previously used by some companies. Officials said the goal is to encourage constructive agreements between tech firms and media organizations rather than restrict access to news.

In earlier disputes Meta had blocked news content for Australian users and declined to renew similar agreements in several countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany. Google has also previously indicated it could limit services if forced to comply with such payment requirements.

Government officials argue that journalism carries economic value and should not be used freely by multinational corporations to generate profit without compensation. Supporters of the legislation say social media platforms attract users through news content while capturing a large share of digital advertising revenue that would otherwise support newsrooms.

According to research by the University of Canberra, more than half of Australians now rely on social media platforms as a primary source of news. Communications Minister Anika Wells said it is only fair that these platforms contribute financially to the content that drives user engagement and revenue.

The draft laws have been opened for public consultation, which will continue until May, after which the government plans to present the legislation in parliament later this year.