The European Union (EU) could follow in the footsteps of the Australian government by forcing BigTech companies like Google and Facebook to pay for news.

Last month Google threatened to block its search engine in Australia if the government went ahead with a new code of conduct that would see it pay for content from media companies.

MEPs working on the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the Digital Markets Act (DMA), told The Financial Times that these new laws could be amended to include features from the Australian code of conduct.

In December the EU cracked down on BigTech businesses with the introduction of new rules under the DSA and DMA.

The EU revealed that the new laws could see technology giants like Google, Facebook, and Microsoft face fines of up to 10 per cent of turnover if not complied with.

The DMA addresses the “negative consequences” of BigTech platforms acting as “digital gatekeepers to the single market,” while the DMA introduces a series of new obligations for digital services graduated on the basis of size and impact.

Last Friday Google launched its news showcase in Australia, a licensing programme that pays publishers to curate content for story panels across Google services.

In November, the UK government unveiled a new regime for BigTech designed to give consumers more choice and control over their data, help SMEs thrive and make sure news outlets are not forced out by their bigger rivals.

The Digital Markets Unit, set up within the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), will also work with Ofcom and the Information Commissioner’s Officer to enforce a new code that will oversee the behaviour of platforms currently dominating the market, including Google and Facebook.

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