Reuters report..
Australia will next week introduce landmark legislation to force Alphabet’s Google and Facebook to pay publishers and broadcasters for content, a senior government official said on Friday.
The legislation, which Google says will be “unworkable”, will make Australia the first country to require Facebook and Google to pay for news content.
“The bill will now be considered by the parliament from the week commencing 15 February 2021,” Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said in an emailed statement.
The legislation is being closely watched around the world.
With bipartisan support, it could come into law this month despite the misgivings of Google, which says the law will force it to withdraw its search function.
