Sacramento, California – Google has taken a stand against a proposed law in California that would mandate large online platforms to compensate news publications for sharing links to their articles. The tech giant has blocked links from local news outlets in California from appearing in search results as a response to the bill, affecting a limited number of users in the state.
The California Journalism Preservation Act (CJPA) aims to require online platforms to pay a fee for linking to news sites based in California, with the bill passing the California assembly in 2023. To become law, it must also pass in the Senate and be signed by Governor Gavin Newsom.
Google’s head of global news partnerships, Jaffer Zaidi, expressed in a blog post that the company is testing the removal of local news links for a small percentage of California users, anticipating the bill’s potential passage. Google emphasized transparency with California publishers, lawmakers, and users in making these decisions to address the implications for the state’s news industry.
In addition to blocking local news links, Google announced a suspension of further investments in the California news ecosystem, including its Absolute News Showcase feature. This feature pushes stories to users in a streamlined feed to increase traffic to publishers.
Similar to Google’s stance, Meta, Facebook’s parent company, had threatened to remove news content from its platforms in response to legislations in Australia and Canada that required payment to publishers. The battle between big tech firms and news publishers regarding fair compensation continues to escalate globally.
Advocates for media equity argue that the California bill may disproportionately benefit larger publishers over smaller outlets, raising concerns about the control of news creation and access by major corporations. The ongoing debate highlights the challenges faced by local journalism in the era of digital transformation.
As the landscape of digital news consumption evolves, the role of big tech firms in supporting or undermining news publishers remains a contentious issue. Legislation like the California Journalism Preservation Act reflects efforts to address the shifting dynamics of the news industry in the digital age.
The impact of such laws on the future of journalism, particularly at the local level, underscores the complexities of balancing corporate interests with the public’s right to access reliable news sources. The ongoing debates and conflicts between technology giants and news publishers are likely to continue shaping the media landscape in the years to come.