A recent move to restrict California news sites over proposed legislation has caused an influx of criticism against Google.
Removing Links For California News Outlets
Google has begun removing links to California news sites for some of their users, in the face of proposed state legislation that could force them to start paying for news content.
Just a “Short-Term Test”
The news came via an official blog post by the tech giant on Friday, describing the move as a “short-term test for a small percentage of users … to measure the impact of the legislation on our product experience.”
Pause on New Industry Investment
The company has also moved to pause any further investment in the California news industry as a whole and has ended a long-running partnership initiative with various California news organizations.
California Journalism Preservation Act
California’s proposed legislation that has caused so much industry turmoil is known as the California Journalism Preservation Act, which was initially introduced to state lawmakers in March 2023.
Yet To Reach Hearing
It has yet to be given a hearing by California’s Senate Judiciary Committee. But if it is passed, it would compel major tech conglomerates like Google and Meta to pay state media companies for links to their content.
Journalism Usage Fee
This “journalism usage fee” would be given to certain eligible outlets when links to their content are used in conjunction with digital ads run by Google.
Ad Revenue Cut
Per the legislation, outlets would be given a small percentage of the ad revenue, and the amount would be deferred by a panel of judges.
An Essential Move?
California lawmakers and news media executives believe the move is an essential one, as more people shift from accessing their news through print and other traditional mediums to finding the majority of their news online and through social media.
Too Much Control
The legislation was also proposed during a time when news outlets were becoming increasingly concerned about how much control companies like Google and Meta have over how their users access content.
Potentially Diverting Users From News Sites
Some feared that these companies planned to divert users away from directly accessing news platforms, encouraging them to access news directly through their platforms.
Legitimate Fears
Their fears are legitimate, as journalism has taken a major hit in the last two decades. Since 2005, the US has seen the closure of more than 2,500 newspapers.
100 News Organizations Lost
Democratic Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, who authored the bill, has pointed out that California alone has lost over 100 news organizations throughout the state in the last decade.
“It’s About Basic Fairness”
“This is a bill about basic fairness — it’s about ensuring that platforms pay for the content they repurpose,” Wicks told reporters.
Securing a Brighter Future
“We are committed to continuing negotiations with Google and all other stakeholders to secure a brighter future for California journalists and ensure that the lights of democracy stay on,” she continued.
Up-Ending A Beneficial Relationship
But Google representatives have argued that the legislation would “up-end” the symbiotic relationship between tech and news media, which allows publishers to earn directly through Google.
“We Help Publishers Grow”
In the aforementioned blog post written by the company’s vice president for global news partnerships, Jaffer Zaidi wrote: “By helping people find news stories, we help publishers of all sizes grow their audiences at no cost to them. (This bill) would up-end that model.”
“Breach of Public Trust”
Many lawmakers and industry leaders have hit back at the recent move by Google. State Senate President Pro-Tempore Mike McGuire, who co-authored the bill, took to social media to call the new restrictions a “breach of public trust” and an “abuse of power.”
More Evidence to Support the Bill
Some even argued that the recent decision by Google was further evidence of their unfettered control over media outlets, and proved that there is a considerable need for legislation like the California Journalism Preservation Act.
It’s Outrageous
“Google’s threat to deny critical information to Californians as a response to proposed legislation … is outrageous,” said Chris Argentieri, COO of the Los Angeles Times, in a responsive statement.
Another Data Point
“Google’s response is another data point that actually supports the need for the legislation and shows the merits of the scrutiny they are facing from the U.S. Department of Justice,” he continued.
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