Senior Executive News Corp Urges Australia To Force Meta To Pay News Providers

JAKARTA - Australia's senior executive News Corp, Michael Miller, said that the Australian government should force Meta Platforms Inc., to pay news companies for content emerging on Facebook. He also asked the government to impose broader regulations on social media companies.

Meta announced in March that it would stop payments to Australian news publishers for content. The government is now considering whether to implement a 2021 law that will force the social media company to do so.

"Meta must be established under the Media Negotiation Code and faced with negotiating with good faith," Michael Miller said in a speech in Canberra, using jargon from the 2021 legislative language.

"We already have an agreement - but they resigned. I believe they have an obligation to renew these agreements, and respect our laws," he said. "Strictly speaking, we must not allow ourselves to be intimidated."

Meta has previously said interest in news declined on its platform and views these platforms as free distribution channels that media companies can use to expand their audiences.

Publishers argue that Facebook and other internet giants are unfair for earning ad revenue when links to news articles appear on their platform.

Meta has struck a payment agreement with Australian media companies in 2021, but most of them expire this year.

If the government tries to enforce the 2021 law, Meta can block users from reposting news articles like they did briefly in Australia in 2021. Meta has been doing the same since 2023 in Canada, which has similar laws. While academics have noted an increase in the spread of misleading information as a result of Meta's move.

In Indonesia, the same thing is also done, because Meta considers the news uploaded to be posted by the account owner voluntarily.

Meta has reduced its promotion of news and political content to direct traffic and said it would stop tabs on Facebook promoting news in Australia.

In his speech, Miller also criticized the impact of social media on his mental health and strengthening of fraud and social problems such as misogini.

He proposed a regulatory framework for technology companies such as Meta, TikTok, and X, formerly known as Twitter, which he said would protect Australians.

This includes making companies take responsibility for all content on their platforms, competition laws for digital advertising, better handling of consumer complaints, and donations for mental health programs.

"Companies that do not comply with these rules should be expelled from the Australian market," Miller said.

But the Meta Spokesperson denied. "The advice that Meta does not respect Australian society's laws or standards is nonsense," said the spokesman.

According to the spokesman, Meta has limited access to content in accordance with Australian law, is working with law enforcement to prevent real-world danger, and train thousands of young Australians in online safety.