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politics22h ago
Trump administration labels Australia’s media bargaining laws ‘foreign extortion’
- The Trump administration branded Australia’s news bargaining plan as 'foreign extortion' amid push to make tech firms pay for news.
- Albanese defended the plan, saying it values journalists’ IP and work and asks platforms to pay for it.
- Under the proposal, Meta, Google and TikTok would face a 2.25% levy if no deals are struck with Australian publishers.
- The policy aims to ensure publishers are compensated for news use online, though Albanese says there will be no revenue gain for Australia.
- U.S. tech industry groups condemned the proposal as discriminatory and coercive, urging trade remedies if legislation passes.
- Google rejected the reform’s necessity, and Meta criticized the plan as 'simply wrong' for excluding AI platforms.
- Australian officials maintain the move is about valuing intellectual property and supporting journalism.
- The stance drew mixed reactions in Parliament, with some parties signaling support for the levy.
- Greens called for more details on how deals would be done and funds distributed to ensure regional outlets aren’t left behind.
- Guardian Australia reported the plan may gain broader parliamentary support, including from Coalition and Greens.
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