CANBERRA: Google warned on Monday that the Australian government’s plans to make digital giants pay for news content threatens users’ free services in Australia and could hand users’ data to media organizations. “Google will not be required to share any additional user data with Australian news businesses unless it chooses to do so,” he added. Swinburne University senior lecturer on media Belinda Barnet described the Google letter as a “cynical exercise” designed to “scare Google users.”“I see no merit in any of the arguments,” she said. Google has been battling the Australian consumer watchdog on two fronts. Last month, the watchdog launched court action against Google for allegedly misleading account holders about its use of their personal data.

Source: Manila Times August 17, 2020 10:41 UTC