Australia Passes Law Requiring Google, Facebook Pay For News - Sputnik International

After much controversy, the parliament of Australia moved Thursday to pass the News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code: a landmark news media law that will force tech giants Facebook, which owns Instagram, and Google to pay Australian publishers for content that makes its way to the free-to-use platforms.

    Treasurer Josh Frydenberg declared in a Thursday statement that the new legislation will ensure "news media businesses are fairly remunerated for the content they generate."

"The code is a significant microeconomic reform, one that has drawn the eyes of the world on the Australian parliament," he said, as reported by Bloomberg.

Per the new law, companies like Google and Facebook will now be required to draw up licensing agreements with Aussie publishers.  

    The passage of Australia's news media law came after prolonged opposition from both Google and Facebook, which even removed the sharing of news from its platform for users in Australia.

"The free service we offer Australian users, and our business model, has been built on the ability to link freely between websites," Google Australia's managing director expressed during a January Senate hearing.