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Sydney (AFP)
Google has urged YouTubers around the world to sue Australian authorities as it launches its campaign against a plan to force digital giants to pay for news content.
In addition to pop-ups warning “the way Aussies use Google is in danger”, which began appearing to Australian Google users on Monday, the tech titan also asked YouTube creators worldwide to complain to the nation’s watchdog .
“The YouTube you know and love is in jeopardy in Australia,” the company tweeted from its YouTube Creators account on Monday, urging those outside Australia to send their concerns to the body behind the plan.
The landmark measures would include multimillion-dollar fines for non-compliance and would force transparency around the closely guarded algorithms that tech companies use to rank content.
The boss of YouTube in the Gautam Anand region wrote, following a similar letter from Google’s manager in Australia, a message to the makers and artists of the platform.
“My primary focus is supporting you and your work to build a thriving ecosystem for creators,” said Anand.
The proposal would create an “uneven playing field” and allow large news outlets to solicit larger shares of money from the platform – and take away funds from smaller makers, he warned.
“The imbalances created by this proposed law could potentially affect all types of Australian creators, far beyond those who concentrate on news: from vloggers, to educational creators, to music artists and beyond.”
The legislation will initially focus on Facebook and Google – two of the richest and most powerful companies in the world – but could eventually apply to any digital platform.
– Virus Crisis –
Australia’s proposals are being followed around the world as regulators increasingly focus their focus on the rapidly changing sector.
News media worldwide have suffered in the digital economy, where large tech companies are capturing advertising revenue overwhelmingly.
The crisis has been exacerbated by the economic collapse of coronavirus, with dozens of Australian newspapers closed and hundreds of journalists fired in recent months.
Unlike hitherto unsuccessful efforts by other countries to force the platforms to pay for news, the Australian initiative relied on competition law instead of copyright rules.
The Australian Commission on Competition and Consumer Policy, which sets out the government’s code of conduct, responded to Google’s open letter saying it contained “incorrect information”.
The consumer watchdog said the digital giant “would not be obliged” to share additional user data with the news media or pay Australians to use its free services “unless it chooses to do so”.
“The draft code will allow Australian news outlets to negotiate fair payment for the work of their journalists included in Google services,” it said in a statement.
It has strong support from local media outlets and is expected to be introduced this year.
© 2020 AFP
