Meta Threatens to Pull News Feeds from Facebook and Instagram Over California’s Journalism Preservation Act
Social media giant Meta, formerly known as Facebookhas threatened to remove news feeds from its platforms if the proposed Journalism Preservation Act passes in California. The bill would require technology companies to pay local news publishers for their content, with 70% of the funds allocated for creating and maintaining journalism jobs in California.
However, Meta claims that the law primarily benefits out-of-state media companies under the guise of helping publishers in California. The company’s director of policy communications, Andy Stone, stated that they would rather remove news than pay into a “slush fund.”
This move has drawn criticism from industry experts such as Danielle Coffey, executive vice president of News Media Alliance. She argues that tech companies should pay their fair share and that Meta’s threat is undemocratic.
The proposed bill aims to support struggling news publishers who have suffered job cuts due to advertisers preferring social networks over traditional media outlets. However, some experts warn that it may have unintended consequences by allowing malicious groups to sell misinformation while receiving funds.
Media analyst Ken Doctor suggests that lawmakers need a deeper understanding of how the business works before enacting such deals. He believes that while these deals won’t save the news industry, they can contribute a new and reliable stream to support it.
As of writing this article, there are no updates on whether or not the bill will pass in California’s assembly. Nonetheless, this development highlights how online news has evolved and how tech companies are increasingly becoming major players in journalism.
According to a source from Inquirer Techreaders can stay updated on this issue and other related topics such as AI trends and gadget releases by following their website. It is crucial for readers to be informed about these developments since they play a significant role in shaping our media landscape today.
