Tech giant Meta has sharply criticised the Australian government’s plan to force major digital platforms to pay for news, branding the proposal a “grossly unfair” and “discriminatory tax” that targets only a handful of foreign companies.
In a late‑night blog post, Meta delivered its formal response to Labor’s News Bargaining Incentive, which would impose a tax of up to 2.25 per cent on a platform’s Australian revenue unless it strikes commercial deals to pay local media outlets for news content.
“Our position is clear: this law is poorly designed, grossly unfair, and will fail to deliver a diverse and sustainable news industry,” the company said. Meta the parent of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp argued that the proposal punishes only select platforms while sparing others offering similar services.
Under the scheme, companies can reduce or eliminate their tax bill by negotiating agreements with Australian publishers. The government has singled out Meta, Google and TikTok based on their large user bases and significant Australian revenue.
But the exclusion of other major platforms including Microsoft, Snapchat and OpenAI has drawn criticism from the targeted companies. Meta said the proposal amounts to “a discriminatory, retroactive tax targeting a handful of foreign companies while competitors offering comparable services face no equivalent obligation.”
The debate marks the latest flashpoint in Australia’s ongoing effort to reshape the relationship between global tech giants and the local news industry, a battle that continues to test the boundaries of digital regulation, media sustainability and platform accountability.
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