Australian publishers on edge as Meta strikes AI news deals in US and Europe
Meta has stuck new AI news deals in France and the US, but Australia has seen sees no progress as Labor’s tech levy talks enter the home stretch.
Meta has left Australian news publishers in the cold despite striking a wave of AI deals with media companies in the US and Europe, as the consultation process over Labor’s revived plans to force tech giants to pay for news enters its final stretch.
The Instagram and Facebook parent is not currently in discussions with any of Australia’s largest media companies, according to two people familiar with the company’s activity, despite striking deals with CNN, Fox News and others in the last month.
Meta has repeatedly rebuffed Australian publishers seeking to discuss new agreements since the tech giant last year abandoned deals worth $70 million a year, said one of the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss confidential information.
The company has instead signalled that it will not even consider commercial deals in Australia until Labor finalises the details of its News Bargaining Incentive, a revived effort to force tech firms including Meta, Google and TikTok to pay for news.
