Australia to reveal laws to make Google and Facebook pay for news

Australia’s government will reveal legislation in Parliament on Wednesday that would make Facebook and Google pay for journalism.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said Tuesday that the legislation to create the News Media Bargaining Code will be scrutinized by a parliamentary committee following its introduction and before lawmakers vote on it next year.
“This is a huge reform,” Frydenberg told reporters. “This is a world first. And the world is watching what happens here in Australia.”
“This is comprehensive legislation that has gone further than any comparable jurisdiction in the world,” he added.
The legislation differs from draft proposals that were released in July after consultations with the social media platforms as well as Australian media organizations.