Tech giant Google has threatened to remove its search engine from the entire country of Australia if a proposed law goes into effect that would force Google to pay news publishers for their content.
The Verge reports that tech giant Google has threatened to pull its search engine out of Australia if a proposed law that would force the company to pay news publishers for their content goes into effect.
Google Australia and New Zealand VP Mel Silva told Australia’s Senate Economics Legislation Committee today:
If this version of the Code were to become law it would give us no real choice but to stop making Google Search available in Australia.
We have had to conclude after looking at the legislation in detail we do not see a way, with the financial and operational risks, that we could continue to offer a service in Australia.
Breitbart News has previously reported on Google’s attempts to lobby against Australia’s plans. Google claims that Australia is attempting to make the tech giant pay for news articles featured in places such as Google News, stating that it “would set an untenable precedent for our business, and the digital economy” and that it’s “not compatible with how search engines work.”
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison responded to Google’s recent statements quickly, stating: “We don’t respond to threats. Australia makes our rules for things you can do in Australia. That’s done in our Parliament. It’s done by our government. And that’s how things work here in Australia.”
Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the man widely credited with the creation of the world wide web as we know it, has actually agreed with Google, submitting his opinion that “the Code risks breaching a fundamental principle of the web by requiring payment for linking between certain content online.”
Australia’s Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), which drafted the proposed law, stated that the law shouldn’t affect Google’s search business, stating: “Google will not be required to charge Australians for the use of its free services such as Google Search and YouTube, unless it chooses to do so.”
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship. Follow him on Twitter @LucasNolan or contact via secure email at the address lucasnolan@protonmail.com
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