Australia is introducing new rules to compel large tech companies, including Google, Meta, and TikTok, to pay local publishers for news content. These companies, whose annual Australian revenue exceeds $250 million, will need to negotiate commercial deals with media organizations or face increased taxes. This move builds on the world-first law passed in 2021, which forced tech giants like Meta and Google to pay for news content shared on their platforms.

The new rules aim to pressure global tech companies to compensate Australian publishers for news links that drive traffic and generate advertising revenue. The Australian government’s initiative also seeks to create financial incentives for voluntary agreements between digital platforms and local news outlets.

As part of its broader regulatory push, Australia recently banned children under 16 from social media and is planning to fine companies that fail to prevent scams on their platforms. These new regulations are part of Australia's broader effort to regulate the activities of US-domiciled tech giants and could set a global precedent.

Notably, X (formerly Twitter) will not be impacted by the new rules. Meta has responded by stating that most users don’t visit their platforms for news, and it has scaled back news promotion globally. In response to previous Australian legislation, Meta briefly blocked news content in 2021 but later struck deals with Australian media. However, Meta has announced that it will not renew these agreements beyond 2024.