Meta designated by Albanese government to continue paying Australian publishers for news

Meta will be forced to continue paying publishers for journalism under the News Media Bargaining Code in an extraordinary intervention by the Albanese government.

The result follows a protracted standoff between the social media giant and Labor government, after Meta announced it would not renew deals worth up to $200m with Australian publishers.

Previously Meta said it would not be renewing the Code, which was established in 2021, claiming just 3 per cent of content shown on its feeds were news-related – a statistic questioned by news publishers.

It’s understood the new measures will not follow the Morrison government laws that encouraged tech giants to pay for news.

Anthony Albanese is expected on Thursday to release the details of the new scheme that will force the tech giants to make multimillion deals with media organisations or face harsh financial penalties.

An interim report into a parliamentary probe into the effect of social media and the Australian society released in October made 11 recommendations, including the creation of a Digital Affairs Ministry.

The new body would be tasked with co-ordinating regulation to combat challenges and risks presented by digital platforms, with a wide remit including consumer protection, competition, online safety, and scams.

It also called on the government to “explore alternative revenue mechanisms to supplement the Code,” including alternative revenue mechanisms like a digital platform levy, and implement a transition fund for publishers, focusing on small, independent and digital-only publishers.

The report also lashed Meta for abandoning the Code and said it would lead to job losses and the closure of publications, and said it was proof of the company’s “general disregard for Australia’s laws and people”.