Meta
Olamilekan Abayomi
Meta has pushed back hard against Australia’s latest attempt to force tech platforms to pay local news outlets for content. The Australian government has been leading this fight since the 2021 News Media Bargaining Code, which made Google and Meta negotiate deals with publishers. Now Canberra is reportedly reviewing stronger rules or a new “digital platforms levy” to close loopholes, and Meta isn’t happy about it.
In its response, Meta argued that the proposal is unfair and misrepresents how its platforms work. The company says it doesn’t “scrape” or “steal” news – users and publishers voluntarily share links, and Meta actually drives traffic back to news sites. It also claims the law puts platforms at a disadvantage compared to search engines and creates uncertainty for businesses that rely on social media for audience reach. That’s the “lashing” part Channels is referring to – strong language rejecting the government’s bid.
This isn’t new for Meta. Back in 2021 it briefly blocked news on Facebook in Australia before striking deals with major publishers. Since then, Meta has let some of those agreements expire and shifted focus toward other content like Reels and AI. The company has repeatedly said it will limit or remove news from Facebook and Instagram if forced to pay more, arguing news makes up a tiny fraction of what users see but creates outsized compliance costs.
Australia’s government sees it differently. Officials argue that tech giants profit from journalism while traditional newsrooms struggle with ad revenue losses. The new bid is framed as protecting public-interest journalism and ensuring fair compensation. For Australia, it’s also about bargaining power – if big platforms can walk away from deals, small publishers lose leverage.
The clash matters beyond Australia because other countries are watching. Canada passed a similar Online News Act in 2023, and the UK, EU, and even Nigeria have debated versions of “link tax” laws. Meta’s pushback in Australia will likely shape how aggressively other governments move. If Meta threatens to de-prioritize news globally, publishers could lose traffic, but if Australia wins concessions, it could embolden more countries to demand payments.
Australia wants tech giants to fund journalism, Meta says the plan is flawed and punitive. The outcome will affect how news spreads online, how much publishers earn from social media, and whether users still see news in their feeds.
