SYDNEY — On Thursday (Dec 11), Australia's center-left government is set to announce new regulations that could penalize Big Tech companies with fines if they refuse to compensate Australian media outlets for news content on their platforms, according to local reports.

The proposed rules would require internet companies to pay publishers even if they opt out of negotiations or remove news from their platforms, as Meta Platforms (Facebook's parent company) did in Canada, the reports added. Requests for comments from Australia’s Communications Minister Michelle Rowland’s office, Meta, and Google have not yet been answered.

In 2021, Australia enacted legislation requiring US tech giants like Alphabet’s Google and Meta to pay media companies for content that generates traffic and advertising revenue on their platforms. If negotiations fail, the government retains the authority to set the fees.

Meta previously reached agreements with Australian media organizations, including News Corp and the national broadcaster ABC, but has indicated it will not extend these deals beyond 2024.

The company, which also owns Instagram, Threads, and WhatsApp, has been reducing its focus on news and political content to drive user traffic. Meta stated that news links now make up a small portion of users' feeds and announced plans to discontinue the Facebook news tab in Australia.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Reuters