Google threatens to cut off news after California proposes paying media outlets

#1

Post by rntn » Fri, Apr 12, 2024, 4:41 PM UTC

Google threatens to cut off news after California proposes paying media outlets
theverge.com

Re: Google threatens to cut off news after California proposes paying media outlets

#2

Post by ratsmack » Fri, Apr 12, 2024, 5:13 PM UTC

There is no love lost between me and Google, but then I have zero regard for "news" organizations that are attempting to strong-arm funds from Google for their failing business model.

Re: Google threatens to cut off news after California proposes paying media outlets

#3

Post by jeffbee » Fri, Apr 12, 2024, 5:21 PM UTC

ratsmack wrote: post #2

There is no love lost between me and Google, but then I have zero regard for "news" organizations that are attempting to strong-arm funds from Google for their failing business model.

100%. I can't think of a less empathetic beneficiary of this bill than Chatham Asset Management and the other vulture firms that are overseeing the destruction of the news business.

Re: Google threatens to cut off news after California proposes paying media outlets

#4

Post by baggy_trough » Fri, Apr 12, 2024, 5:29 PM UTC

A tax on linking is absurd and would be deeply harmful.

Re: Google threatens to cut off news after California proposes paying media outlets

#5

Post by blitzar » Fri, Apr 12, 2024, 5:30 PM UTC

"We have long said that this is the wrong approach to supporting journalism."

I have long said that google takes the wrong approach to supporting lots of things; but the execs just tell me to f'off and jump into their pool filled with $100 bills.

Re: Google threatens to cut off news after California proposes paying media outlets

#6

Post by kemayo » Fri, Apr 12, 2024, 5:31 PM UTC

I agree with Google on this one. Charging a fee just for linking to something is a bad idea.

It does get fuzzier if you're also summarizing, and there's clearly some sort of spectrum from "just the URL" to "AI synopsis of the entire article". But at the level we see on Google News (headline + maybe a picture), I don't feel there's any good justification for charging.

Re: Google threatens to cut off news after California proposes paying media outlets

#7

Post by darby_eight » Fri, Apr 12, 2024, 5:34 PM UTC

I'm actually ok with this given that google is the source of the internet's dependency on advertisements as its sole method of reliable income for non-subscribers. They are more than welcome to reintroduce less destructive methods of transacting over content.

Re: Google threatens to cut off news after California proposes paying media outlets

#8

Post by yuliyp » Fri, Apr 12, 2024, 5:36 PM UTC

blitzar wrote: post #5

"We have long said that this is the wrong approach to supporting journalism." I have long said that google takes the wrong approach to supporting lots of things; but the execs just tell me to f'off and jump into their pool filled with $100 bills.

I think that comment is just an allusion to their fights with Australia and Canada over doing the same thing.

Re: Google threatens to cut off news after California proposes paying media outlets

#9

Post by [deleted] » Fri, Apr 12, 2024, 5:37 PM UTC

kemayo wrote: post #6

I agree with Google on this one. Charging a fee just for linking to something is a bad idea. It does get fuzzier if you're also summarizing, and there's clearly some sort of spectrum from "just the URL" to "AI synopsis of the entire article". But at the level we see on Google News (headline + maybe a picture), I don't feel there's any good justification for charging.

[deleted]

Re: Google threatens to cut off news after California proposes paying media outlets

#10

Post by pompino » Fri, Apr 12, 2024, 5:38 PM UTC

Google penalizes link-farms, and websites who copy content from others, but adopts a holier-than-thou attitude for itself. Not very surprising. There is no inherent "legitimacy" when Google (as the worlds largest spyware vendor) does it.