Facebook and Google will now have to pay for the media

An excellent first. On Thursday 25 February the Australian Parliament passed a law to force technology giants to pay the media to use their content. In detail, this new text requires digital sites – such as Google News through its News and Facebook tab – to be able to negotiate a royalty directly with each media outlet. The parties must agree on both the form and the amount of pay. If no agreement is reached, an arbitration procedure conducted by an independent body will be initiated.

That’s not all. Internet agents should warn the media in advance of any significant change in their approach – this will directly affect the reference of newspaper articles, and therefore their performance in terms of audience and advertising revenue. Millions of dollars in fines for violations are recommended by law.

“This is an important step,” Australian Finance Minister Josh Friedenberg said on Twitter. “This law will level the playing field and ensure that …