Google on Friday threatened to turn off the search feature in Australia if the Canberra parliament passed a law that would force it, like Facebook and other big technologies, to pay local media to publish its content.
According to the draft, which was presented to the Canberra Parliament last month, the government will appoint an intermediary to determine the amount to be paid to take into account the content published by internet platforms if no agreement is reached through a negotiation between the parties.
“If this version of the code becomes law, it would give us no choice but to stop the availability of Google Search available in Australia,” Google Australia CEO Mel Silva said in a virtual appearance before a Senate committee reviewing law Project.
Silva stressed that this option will appear “in the worst case scenario”, insisting that for Google the legislative proposal “would create a difficult risk to manage for our business in a digital economy.” It is not compatible with the way search engines work ”.
After hearing about the threat from Google, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison told reporters in Brisbrane that Parliament and the Government of Canberra set the rules of the game and “if you want to work with them in Australia, you are welcome, but we do not.” responds to threats. “
The Senate Committee intends to present its report on the bill on February 12, which was criticized by World Wide Web creator Tim Berners-Lee, who said it could violate “the principles of the Internet by imposing payment on online users.” certain online content. “
For their part, senior US government trade representatives Daniel Bahar and Karl Ehlers have called on Canberra to “suspend” its plans to carry out the project, saying it could raise concerns “about Australia’s international trade obligations”. They. committee.
The proposal, which aims to protect local media, responds to the recommendations of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, presented in December 2019, in a report on the impact of search engines and social media on the advertising and media market.
The day before, Google reached an agreement with the publishers of French newspapers on a system of remuneration for the publication of their content, ending a month-long dispute that reached the courts.