The proposed media law would force the tech companies to negotiate with media companies on payments for previewing and linking to their content. That arrangement is untenable, Mel Silva, the head of Google in Australia and New Zealand, said in prepared testimony released ahead of the hearing Friday. The idea that Google should pay for showing news in its search results is not new. Just this week, Google agreed to negotiate payments to French publishers. Its proposal, known as Google News Showcase, would mean news organizations negotiate directly with Google over payments.

Source: Washington Post January 22, 2021 18:45 UTC