The Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday voted to pass legislation that would allow news outlets to join forces and negotiate with Google, Facebook and other dominant platforms to generate more revenue.
The Competition and Prevention of Journalists Act was advanced by a 15-to-7 vote in the commission.
The bipartisan bill, led by Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar and Republican Senator John Kennedy, must gain Senate-wide approval. This law expires in six years.
“The Senate Judiciary Committee is once again taking a bipartisan stance against monopoly tech companies. As the daughter of a journalist, I understand firsthand the critical role that freedom of the press plays in strengthening democracy.
But local news is facing an existential crisis, with advertising revenues declining, newspapers closing, and many local communities becoming “news deserts” without access to local reports. It now dominates news and digital advertising delivery. ”
“Our bipartisan legislation is critical to allowing media companies to band together to negotiate fair compensation from big tech companies that profit from their news content, and to keep journalists informed in their communities.
It allows me to continue to do good work,” she continued. “This bill passed the Judiciary Committee with a strong bipartisan vote, and I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to ensure it is approved and enacted throughout the Senate.”
“Technology giants like Facebook and Google are strangling small, conservative publications by preventing them from making money on their online platforms. Manipulation stifles free speech.
The law prevents big tech companies from throttling, filtering, suppressing, or curating online content, while giving local news outlets a level playing field to negotiate with these censorship giants. increase.”
