The Consequences Of A Fight Between Google And Australia

The Australian Government has proposed a bill called the “News media bargaining code“. Now I am not going to go into specifics about the political players of this legislation, as in the long run this issue will affect people around the world. I have always maintained that my blog will be apolitical without supporting any party or politician. But I will speak on an issue that affects what this blog is about without politicising the topic. This is about the issue that would affect people who rely on Google, not the politicians who are behind the legislation. In the end one thing that has been made clear is that politicians struggle with understanding the ramification that their laws have on the internet.

What Is This All About?

Newscorp is owned by former Australian citizen Rupert Murdoch, who owns news media companies in Britain such as Sky news and the Sun. In 2016 Newscorp was said to own 65% of the media in Australia. He is most likely well known for owning Fox News in America. In Australia, Murdoch with other news media companies, has persuaded the Government of Australia to force Google and Facebook to draft a bill to force these tech juggernauts to pay news sites in Australia for linking to their articles. The draft of this bill can be found here for anyone that is interested.

This Is Not All Of It

Goggle was willing to set up an Australian News hub and come to an agreement with news media companies, as it has in France for instance. But this bill makes it illegal for Google to stop listing news media companies that are affected by this legislation (the news company has to earn over $150,000 at least). It forces Google and news media companies to come to an agreement, if they don’t, the government will decide what they believe is a fair amount. If News media companies are unhappy with this arrangement, Google allows you to remove your company from the search results. It is said that Google supplies 80% of traffic to Newscorp via it’s search engine. In the process Newscorp gives Google content for people to search for. Under this logic can you demand Twitter or Instagram to pay you for having a large account on their apps and for advertising on them? No because you willing chose to put yourself on these platforms.

Free Speech Is Affected

If this bill passes through the senate, Digital Companies will be forced to allow these news media companies the rights to delete or turn off comments on pages where their articles have been posted, for instance on Reddit or Twitter. It as well allows the news media company to block an individual from commenting. So certain news media companies will be given essentially moderation tools to censure people’s comments. The irony of wanting to do this on Reddit or Twitter with it’s younger base makes me incredulous, because the reason why news media companies are losing money is because younger people do not buy print media. They receive their news from other sources. I don’t see how this behaviour will encourage people to link to these newspaper articles knowing everyone commenting on them can be censured. In Polish their is a term for a person that means essentially small mind and this is a small minded move, that hurts news media companies in the long run.

There Is One More Part Of Legislation That Google Refuses To Agree To

Google has to give fourteen days warning of any algorithm changes, which is ridiculous because this is not possible as the algorithm is not something a company will give away for security reasons. Also you cannot foresee if you may have to change an algorithm, which apparently happens multiple times in a day. Google’s algorithm is a complex neural net that is learning and self adjusting. It is impossible to give two weeks notice for any changes. Why should large news media companies have that advantage their smaller competitors don’t have, when as we speak they are losing money? Knowing the algorithm allows you know improve your position in the search results. Every time there is a large algorithm change Google, gives you many updated tools to improve your website’s SEO. I am not saying that the privacy issues with Google are not something to be alarmed by, but forcing a search engine to favour only one group people is against the precepts of the internet.

Google Has Said That If This Legislation Passes They Will Remove Google Search From Australia.

Small and medium businesses will be most affected. At the moment I am learning about SEO, I am enraged at this kind of meddling. Being seen on Google allows me to be found by people around the world, which increases the chances of selling my art. Just in Australia alone 95% of Australian’s use Google search and it has an enormous reach around world. For a country of twenty-five million the kind of advertising potential Google gives Australian companies is immeasurable. From a small Australian news media company called Crikey.com.au, it is claimed in a report that was published last December, that thirty nine billion dollars was earned by Australian businesses, of which 60% percent of those were small and medium businesses. The fact that the government doesn’t understand what a risk they are taking in a possible election year, shows how we need to have politicians be better educated about technology and the internet. Being responsible for taking something away that is apart of people’s every day life and business is not going to endear people to you. This legislation is not first or last that we will see from politicians who are affecting our ability to make an income and to have a free press. Small news media companies and people need to have their voices heard. It isn’t fair that old companies that come before the internet, dare to shut the door on new businesses with their officious interference and manipulation. Why is it, that many bloggers are flourishing, but established print media needs to stoop to these levels?Look at your politicians and see what they stand for and vote, so this doesn’t become a precedent around the world. If you cannot succeed on an even footing, it is not everyone else that needs to adjust. Freedom of choice is something we should treasure and that is what the internet gives you.

Coauthored with Francesca Darcy who has more technological expertise then I possess and helps me with the technological aspects of my business. Twitter @francesca_darcy