Meta, Google face 2% Australia levy without news deals, Reuters reports

The Australian government has proposed a policy that could impose multimillion-dollar charges on Meta (META), Google (GOOGL), and TikTok if they fail to pay local media outlets for news content, Reuters’ Christine Chen and Byron Kaye report, adding that a 2.25% tax on local revenues would apply unless deals are reached, with funds directed to support Australian journalism. “People are increasingly getting their news directly from Facebook, from TikTok and from Google, and we believe it’s only fair that large digital platforms contribute to the hard work of journalism that enriches their feeds and that drives their revenue,” Communications Minister Anika Wells told a news conference.