Microsoft Encourages Biden Administration to Make Facebook and Google Pay Publishers

Tech giant Microsoft has reportedly suggested to the Biden administration that the U.S. should adopt a similar plan to Australia’s proposed law which would force Google and Facebook to pay publishers for access to their news content.

The Register reports that Microsoft has stated that the United States should copy a recently proposed Australian bill that would force tech firms like Google and Facebook to pay publishers for access to their news content. Microsoft reportedly suggested that this would help improve social cohesion and strengthen democracy.

Microsoft’s suggestion to the Biden administration was made in a blog post from company president Brad Smith who stated: “As the dust slowly settles on a horrifying assault on the Capitol, it’s apparent that American democracy is in a fragile state.”

Smith added that he believes that disinformation spreading across social media was adding to this “fragility” and “the erosion of more traditional, independent and professional journalism.”

Smith stated that Microsoft knows that news content is essential to attract loyal users to a search engine, stating: “Access to fresh, broad and deep news coverage is critical to retaining strong user engagement.” Smith then alleges that Google and Facebook have to have reached the same conclusion and therefore insisting they pay for news is reasonable.

Google quickly responded with a statement claiming that Microsoft’s motives are not entirely noble, with Google Chief Legal Officer Kent Walker stating: “Of course they’d be eager to impose an unworkable levy on a rival and increase their market share.”

Breitbart News recently reported that Australia’s Parliament is set to debate forcing Google and Facebook to pay news publishers for their content after a Senate committee recommended no changes to drafts of laws that would force the tech giants to compensate publishers. The bill has been scrutinized by the Senate Economics Legislation Committee since it was introduced in Parliament in December.

The senators rejected arguments from Facebook and Google that the proposed “media bargaining code” was unworkable. But the committee further recognized that the legislation carried risks and should be reviewed after a year.