Australia shows the way. It’s the job of governments not big tech to run democracies John Naughton
The problem with the dispute between the Australian government and the two social media giants Google and Facebook is that it’s a squalid argument between ethically challenged contestants about a really important question – the survival of liberal democracy.
The Australian parliament is in the process of passing a law – called the News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code – which would force Facebook and Google to pay publishers if they host their content. The law is a response to complaints from Australian news outlets about the role that both have played in the decline of journalism and the destruction of their business model.
A conversation last week between the prime ministers of India and Australia encapsulated a far-reaching development in the regulation of technology and social media companies. Australia’s Scott Morrison discussed with Narendra Modi a legislative bill.
Australia shows the way It s the job of governments not big tech to run democracies msn.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from msn.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Facebook is back at the table in negotiations with the Federal Government in relation to its media code, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said. Mr Morrison said he accepted an apology from the embattled social media behemoth after they shut down Australian news sites on their platform, with charity groups and vital information services caught up in the highly criticised moved. This is a really hard thing to do. We ve never done it before, said Simon Milner, the vice president of public policy for the Asia-Pacific region, the Sydney Morning Herald reported. We are sorry for the mistakes we made in some of the implementation.