EXCLUSIVE: Meta and Alphabet will pull back from news distribution in more countries if forced to pay for content, the CEO of leading Canadian public network CBC/Radio Canada has predicted. Catheri…
Canada is economically integrated with the United States in a way that Australia is not. Meta and Google understand that precedents weigh differently here.
Another situation came to a head in Australia two years ago, with Facebook blocking news content after being ordered to shell out cash. The standoff ended quickly with the major social media platforms agreeing a deal with the Australian government to create the News Media Bargaining Code, which sees news providers paid for their online content.
Facebook made it seem like everyone would lose out to give themselves a better bargaining position and now they pay for news content in Australia.
They will simply do this everywhere and force terms they find acceptable, or block news in countries unwilling to negotiate.