Beautiful Virgin Islands

Wednesday, Aug 27, 2025

Bipartisan legislation would allow digital publishers, newspapers to 'collectively negotiate' with Big Tech like Facebook, Google

Bipartisan legislation would allow digital publishers, newspapers to 'collectively negotiate' with Big Tech like Facebook, Google

'Newspapers are locked in a life-or-death struggle with tech giants like Google and Facebook,' Kennedy said

A bipartisan bill reintroduced Wednesday would allow digital publishers and newspapers to "collectively negotiate" fees with Big Tech companies like Facebook and Google.

Sens. John Kennedy, R-La., and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., reintroduced the 2019 Journalism Competition and Preservation Act after countries, including Australia and France, pushed Big Tech companies to consider paying for news that they showcase on their respective websites to help fund the news industry.

"We must enable news organizations to negotiate on a level playing field with the Big Tech companies if we want to preserve a strong and independent press," Klobuchar, a staunch critic of Big Tech, said in a Wednesday statement. "This bipartisan legislation will improve the quality of reporting and ensure that journalists are able to continue their critical work."

Senator Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat from Minnesota, speaks during a Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee confirmation hearing.


She added that U.S. "media outlets need a fighting chance when negotiating for fair treatment by the digital platforms where so many Americans consume their news."

The Journalism Competition and Preservation Act "creates a four-year safe harbor from antitrust laws for print or digital news companies to collectively negotiate with online content distributors ... regarding the terms on which the news companies' content may be distributed by online content distributors," a summary of the bill reads.

Google, Facebook and Amazon take up an estimated two-thirds of global digital ad spend.

Google announced agreements in February to pay publishers in Australia after the country passed a law that would allow the country's government to set the price of deals with news outlets if negotiations between tech companies and publishers failed.


Facebook said later in February that it had blocked users in the country from viewing or sharing news in retaliation of the law.

Facebook on Feb. 25 terminated the week-long news blackout after it reached commercial agreements with three local publishers: Schwartz Media, Solstice Media and Private Media, according to Reuters. The company did not disclose the financial details of the deals.

Developments in Australia and Europe suggest the financial balance between multibillion-dollar internet companies and news organizations might be shifting.

Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., speaks as FBI Director Christopher Wray testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, March 2, 2021.


"Newspapers are locked in a life-or-death struggle with tech giants like Google and Facebook, and it’s not a fair fight," Kennedy said in a statement. "Local papers have continued to deliver news despite declines in circulation, but readers are losing out at as their options for news coverage evaporate."

He added that the new legislation "will support the independence of local papers by giving news publishers the power to collectively negotiate with digital platforms like Google and Facebook."

Last year, Facebook announced it would pay U.S. news organizations, including The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and USA Today, for headlines. No financial details were released.

The social media giant said on Feb. 24 that it plans to invest $1 billion to "support the news industry" over the next three years. The company said it has invested $600 million since 2018 in news.

Google said in October that it would pay publishers $1 billion over the next three years.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Manhunt in Australia: Armed Anti-Government Suspect Kills Police Officers Sent to Arrest Him
China Launches World’s Most Powerful Neutrino Detector
How Beijing-Linked Networks Shape Elections in New York City
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
2 Australian Police Shot Dead In Encounter In Rural Victoria State
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
A new faith called Robotheism claims artificial intelligence isn’t just smart but actually God itself
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
Labour set to freeze income tax thresholds in long-term 'stealth' tax raid
Coca‑Cola explores sale of Costa coffee chain
Trial hears dog walker was chased and fatally stabbed by trio
Restaurateur resigns from government hospitality council over tax criticism
Spanish City funfair shut after serious ride injury
Suspected arson at Ilford restaurant leaves three in critical condition
Tottenham beat Manchester City to go top of Premier League
Bank holiday heatwave to hit 30°C before remnants of Hurricane Erin arrive
UK to deploy immigration advisers to West Africa to block fake visas
Nurse who raped woman continued working for a year despite police alert
Drought forces closures of England’s canal routes, canceling boat holidays
Sweet tooth scents: food-inspired perfumes surge as weight-loss drugs suppress appetites
Experts warn Britain dangerously reliant on imported food
Family of Notting Hill Carnival murder victim call event unmanageable
Bunkers, Billions and Apocalypse: The Secret Compounds of Zuckerberg and the Tech Giants
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
New York Appeals Court Voids Nearly $500 Million Civil Fraud Penalty Against Trump While Upholding Fraud Liability
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
Child-free hotels spark controversy
North Korea is where this 95-year-old wants to die. South Korea won’t let him go. Is this our ally or a human rights enemy?
Hong Kong Launches Regulatory Regime and Trials for HKD-Backed Stablecoins
China rehearses September 3 Victory Day parade as imagery points to ‘loyal wingman’ FH-97 family presence
Trump Called Viktor Orbán: "Why Are You Using the Veto"
×