The Australian Government, headed up by the ACCC, has conducted an indepth inquiry into the digital platforms, and has come up with a proposed media bargaining code, which was revealed earlier this year. The Code has a number of aspects to it, but has drawn most attention for the way it proposes to force the platforms to pay Australian media companies and local content in their search and on their feeds. Suffice to say the digital platforms aren't happy.
Google and Facebook have come out fighting against the Australian government's news media bargaining Code, and have accused the Code of potentially 'breaking' the internet, and threatened to remove their services.
The showdown is the latest example of the immense power struggles being waged between State actors and the new world superpowers; big tech. How can and should the law be used to regulate online platforms, and is Australia's Code the best way of doing it?
Gemma and Daniel discuss with academic and senior lecturer Dr Jake Goldenfein from University of Melbourne Law Scool and Lizzie O'Shea, a lawyer and writer of the book ‘Future Histories’. Lizzie is also a founding member of Digital Rights Watch.
Show Notes/ Links:
Members of the Federation of Community Legal Centres