Meta threatened to stop publishing news on its social media platforms in the face of a controversial media bill in the United States. According to the tech giant, the bill thwarts the traffic and subscriptions of local media.
The US House of Representatives will soon vote on the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act. The bill was presented in an attempt to help news organizations collectively bargain with large tech companies such as Google and Meta.
Proponents
According to the government, the bill helps small and local news organizations make more money from news releases. Media interest groups want the bill to put an end to news stories being relayed on tech giants’ websites and platforms without adequate compensation for publishers and authors. Without it, social media become the American newspaper, proponents say.
Meta opposes
Meta disagrees with the bill. The tech giant threatened to stop relaying and publishing news stories if it’s passed, noting it would rather do that than give in to ”government-mandated negotiations”.
Moreover, according to Meta, relaying news helps local media gain internet traffic and revenue through subscriptions. Republishing news supports rather than hinders, the tech giant indicates.
In addition to Meta, the bill is opposed by interest groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union, Public Knowledge and the Computer & Communications Industry Association. According to the opposition, the bill favours publishers in terms of competition and does not ensure that journalists get a cut from the revenue of articles.
14 hours ago
