Australia Plans Tax on Tech Firms That Refuse to Pay News Publishers

Australia's government introduced draft legislation Tuesday imposing a 2.25% tax on revenue from Meta, Google, and TikTok if they decline deals with local news outlets. The News Bargaining Incentive, headed to Parliament in July, strengthens a 2021 code by adding financial penalties. Platforms must negotiate with publishers or face the levy on domestic earnings. The tactic aims to sidestep Spain's experience, where a similar tax prompted Google to stop displaying news links entirely.