February 8, 2021 2:52 Market research company IBIS World has revealed that industries such as hospitality are particularly at risk if Google follows through on threats to remove its search function in Australia. The announcement: The threat of Google withdrawing from Australia is becoming increasingly real, following intensifying pressure over the draft News Media Bargaining Code (NMBC). This new legislation would force Google and Facebook to pay major players in the Newspaper Publishing industry for their journalism content. Google is the dominant player in the Online Advertising industry, accounting for over 40% of the market. ‘One source of concern for Google is that the NMBC creates a precedent, potentially spurring regulation in larger markets such as the United States. In its current form, the legislation would fundamentally alter the principles on which Google Search currently operates,’ said IBISWorld Senior Industry Analyst Liam Harrison.