Meta, Google, TikTok, and LinkedIn now face an Australian news law whether they carry news or not
Australia’s parliament passed the News Bargaining Incentive on Thursday, closing a five-year argument that began when Meta worked out it could avoid paying for news by simply not carrying any. The new law removes that option.
Platforms with a significant search or social media service in Australia and more than A$250mn (about $178mn) in local advertising revenue now face a levy of 2.5% on that advertising revenue, whether or not they host a single news story. When the government first set out the scheme, the rate was 2.25%, and the list of names has grown since.
Meta, Alphabet’s Google, TikTok, and Microsoft’s LinkedIn are the companies in scope. LinkedIn was added in early August alongside the rate increase, which the government presented as a technical adjustment, but the industry did not.
The tax is not really meant to be collected, but it is designed as a price on refusing to...
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