Google and Facebook are “very close” to deals with major Australian media outlets to pay for news, a senior government official said Monday, as the technology giants work to circumvent historic regulations, AFP said.
Australian treasurer Josh Frydenberg said talks with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Google CEO Sundar Pichai had made “great strides” in resolving a deadlock that was closely monitored around the world, the news agency reported. Australia is poised to pass legislation that would force digital companies to pay for news content, something that would set global precedent and, according to Facebook and Google, destroy the way the internet works.
The companies have threatened in part withdraw services out of the country when the rules become law, sparking a war of words with government officials in Canberra. But that disagreement seemed to diminish on Monday, when Frydenberg told Australian public broadcaster ABC that talks with the companies “made great strides over the weekend.”
Seven West Media has become the largest Australian news media company to make a deal with Google to pay for journalism. Google and the publicly traded television, print and online publisher announced their partnership a day before Parliament would consider draft laws that would force the digital giant and Facebook to pay for Australian news.
The announcement also follows weekend talks between Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Alphabet Inc. CEO Sundar Pichai. and its subsidiary Google.
– The Associated Press contributed to this report.