> As I understand it: The bill would not allow Google to simply drop Australian news sites from search results (hello Spain News!), I suspect your right. I'm

> As I understand it: The bill would not allow Google to simply drop Australian news sites from search results (hello Spain News!), I suspect your right. I'm not a lawyer and I would not trust my reading of a legal document as far as I could kick it but the public discussion of the bill is so poor I don't have any choice. I would have thought forcing Google has to pay regardless of whether they link to news sites or not was a fairly fundamental question every voter would be interested in. Apparently not. So we are left with me quoting this, from the act: > 52Q.(1) The provisions of Subdivisions Band create obligations in respect of every designated digital platform service > 52E.(1) The Minister may, by legislative instrument, make a determination that: (a) specifies one or more services covered by subsection (2) in relation to a corporation as designated digital platform services of the corporation; So you are a digital platform if the minister says you are (he puts it in a schedule). And we have this from the explanatory notes [0]: > 1.34 The Treasurer’s instrument is expected to specify the following as designated digital platform services: • Facebook News Feed (including Facebook Groups and Facebook Pages); • Facebook NewsTab (if and when released in Australia); • Instagram; • Google Discover; • Google News; and • Google Search. So yeah, Google shall share their ad revenue with the newspapers whether they link to them or not seems to be a reasonable interpretation or what is actually happening here. > hence really only leaving the option to block Oz altogether. I suspect there is another option: remove the legal presence of Google Search et al from Australia. They are then out of reach of Australian law. Australians will still be able search, pay for ad words, access their google docs, look at their google pictures as before. My guess is it would have stuff all effect on Google's revenue. Most (all?) other search engines operate that way now, Australia's used amazon.com instead of amazon.com.au for over a decade - I doubt it would effect Google's revenue at all. https://www.accc.gov.au/system/files/Exposure%20Draft%20EM%20-%20NEWS%20MEDIA%20AND%20DIGITAL%20PLATFORMS%20MANDATORY%20BARGAINING%20CODE%20BILL%202020.pdf https://www.accc.gov.au/system/files/Exposure%20Draft%20EM%2...