Australia Proposes 2.25% Levy on Meta, Google and TikTok to Fund Journalism

Australia plans a new “pay or charge” scheme requiring Meta, Google and TikTok to strike payment deals with local news outlets or face a 2.25% levy on annual Australian revenues above A$250 million. Fees collected would be redirected to publishers to shore up journalism rather than retained by the government. The draft legislation builds on the existing News Media Bargaining Code and offers offsets of up to 170% for deals with smaller media outlets. Officials say the policy will guarantee that tech platforms make a fair contribution to public interest reporting. Meta has rejected the proposed tax, arguing it does not derive the claimed value from news content, and Google has voiced objections while noting its current partnerships. Australian publishers, however, have welcomed the tougher “pay or be charged” approach as necessary to sustain newsrooms. The bill is due for parliamentary debate and could attract diplomatic pressure from the United States, home to many of the affected companies.

Use The App To Win ₦1m

Stories are shared by community members. This article does not represent the official view of NaijaWorld — the author is solely responsible for its content.