Oct 07, 2024 16:51:00

Google announces policy to stop links from Google Search, Google News and Discover if a law imposing a 'link tax' is enacted in New Zealand

Following Google's decision to

block news distribution in California in April 2024, New Zealand is currently deliberating a bill to impose a 'link tax,' and has announced that it will remove links to news articles from Google Search, Google News, and Discover once the law is enacted.

Google New Zealand Blog: Addressing the Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill
https://newzealand.googleblog.com/2024/10/addressing-fair-digital-news-bargaining.html

Google says it will stop linking to New Zealand news if proposed new law passed | Reuters

https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/google-says-it-will-stop-linking-new-zealand-news-if-proposed-new-law-passed-2024-10-04/

The bill, called the Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill, would require Google to pay a fee for linking to news articles if it were passed.

As a result, Google has stated that if the bill becomes law, it will respond by removing news links from Google Search, Google News and Discover in New Zealand.

Google claims it is 'contributing to New Zealand's news ecosystem' by paying millions of dollars a year to Google News Showcase, which covers more than 95% of New Zealand's news publishers.

As a precedent, Canada passed a law in 2023 encouraging companies to enter into agreements to pay a 'link tax,' which would force Google to remove links to news sites.

Facebook and Instagram halt news distribution in Canada in response to bill that would require revenue sharing for news content - GIGAZINE