Google and Facebook to pay for content

The Government It has ordered the ACCC to stop working on the voluntary code and prepare a new mandatory code of conduct regime to address bargaining power imbalance between the big platforms and the media. It is to be developed for release and consultation in July and subsequent implementation. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said ahead of the announcement that it’s ‘only fair that those that generate content get paid for it’.

See The Hon Josh Frydenberg MP and The Hon Paul Fletcher MP, ‘ACCC mandatory code of conduct to govern the commercial relationship between digital platforms and media companies’ (media release, 20 April 2020)

See also

• Katharine Kemp, ‘No more negotiating: new rules could finally force Google and Facebook to pay for news’ (The Conversation, 20 April 2020)

• Michelle Grattan, ‘Government orders mandatory code of conduct for Google, Facebook’ (The Conversation, 20 April 2020)

• David Crowe, ‘'A level playing field': digital giants will have to pay for news’ (SMH, 20 April 2020)

• Fergus Hunter and Zoe Samios, ‘New rules for Facebook and Google to value news quality: ACCC’ (SMH, 20 April 2020)

• Annie Guest, ‘Government flags new code for digital giants’ (ABC, The World Today, 20 April 2020) (audio approx 4 mins)

• Nour Haydar, ‘Facebook and Google to face mandatory code of conduct to 'level playing field' with traditional news media‘ (ABC News, 20 April 2020)