Digital

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MPA Submits Letter Supporting Journalism Competition & Preservation Act

In response to a request for input regarding the U.S. Postal Service's (USPS) Study on Market-Dominant Rate Increases, the MPA submitted an issuance of information regarding the size and timing of market-dominant rate increases authorized by the Commission following the ... Read More
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MPA Opposes Proposed Revisions to USPS Market Dominant Service Performance Measurement Plan

MPA submitted comments to the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) opposing the U.S. Postal Service’s proposed revisions to its market dominant service performance measurement plan ... Read More
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Europe Adopts Rules Similar to the U.S. JCPA and Self-Preferencing Bill

The Alliance applauds the EU for concluding its trilogue on negotiations around the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which will level the playing field by requiring the tech platforms to facilitate competition and choice for consumers ... Read More
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MPA Submits Letter Supporting Journalism Competition & Preservation Act

MPA submitted a letter to the Senate Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights in support of the Journalism Competition & Preservation Act (JCPA) ... Read More
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MPA Submits Comments to the California Privacy Protection Agency on the CPRA

MPA comments to the California Privacy Protection Agency on the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) ... Read More
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MPA Submits Comments to the USPS on Calculating Postage

MPA submitted comments to the USPS on calculating postage while an application for periodicals authorization is pending ... Read More
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MPA Comments to USPS: Calculating Postage While Application for Periodicals Authorization is Pending

MPA submitted comments to the U.S. Postal Service on calculating postage while an application for periodicals authorization is pending ... Read More
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MPA Submits Letter to USPS on Proposed Rule for Periodicals Pending Authorization Postage

MPA submitted a letter to the U.S. Postal Service on a proposed rule for Periodicals Pending Authorization Postage ... Read More
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Facebook Whistleblower, Former Facebook Data Scientist Support Section 230 Reform

Reacting to yesterday’s congressional hearing and testimony by Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen, former Facebook data scientist Roddy Lindsay agrees with Haugen’s proposed solution to address the problem of big tech platforms spreading harmful misinformation and fake news – make the ... Read More
ACCC Publishes Digital Advertising Services Report, Urges More Regulation of the Ad Tech Industry
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ACCC Publishes Digital Advertising Services Report, Urges More Regulation of the Ad Tech Industry

On September 27, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) published the long-awaited final report of its Digital Advertising Services Inquiry. The inquiry, focusing on online display advertising, began in February 2020 following a request from the Treasury and comes ... Read More
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Media Associations Urge Value for Journalism in Digital Ecosystem

The News Media Alliance is one of 17 international and national news media associations to sign a joint letter published today calling for countries to prioritize the value of journalistic content on digital platforms and ensure fair compensation from the ... Read More
The Alliance Joins in RCFP Amicus Brief for Antitrust Lawsuit Against Google
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The Alliance Joins in RCFP Amicus Brief for Antitrust Lawsuit Against Google

On September 17, the Alliance signed onto an amicus brief arguing that Google’s amended complaint in its antitrust lawsuit against Texas should be made publicly available. Judge Castel in the Southern District of New York asked the parties to show why ... Read More
Intelligence Officials Express Concern Over Big Tech Breakup
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Intelligence Officials Express Concern Over Big Tech Breakup

On September 15, several former top national security officials sent a letter asking Congress to delay antitrust bills, because it would harm the U.S. in its tech race with China. Axios published the letter, signed by 12 former intelligence officials ... Read More
Biden Nominates Privacy Advocate to FTC
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Biden Nominates Privacy Advocate to FTC

Biden recently nominated “longtime privacy advocate” Alvaro Bedoya to the FTC on Monday. Axios reports this nomination “signals aggressive action” from the FTC against big tech. Bedoya has has worked at Georgetown University’s Center on Privacy & Technology as the founding ... Read More
Congress Prioritizing Privacy
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Congress Prioritizing Privacy

On September 14, the House Energy and Commerce Committee voted in favor of giving the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) $1 billion to start a bureau that focuses on data security, privacy, and fighting identity theft. The Bureau would be funded for 10 ... Read More
The Facebook Files Reveal Direct Knowledge of Harmful Policies and Practices
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The Facebook Files Reveal Direct Knowledge of Harmful Policies and Practices

The Wall Street Journal has begun a series called The Facebook Files based on internal emails and files the outlet obtained. While Facebook claimed to be promoting “meaningful social interactions” (MSI) by demoting quality journalism it claimed was divisive, it ... Read More
Judge Restricts Apple’s Anti-Competitive App Store Practices
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Judge Restricts Apple’s Anti-Competitive App Store Practices

Today, the Northern District of California published its decision in the Epic Games v. Apple case. The court found that Apple violated California’s Unfair Competition Law and issued an injunction against Apple. The injunction prohibits Apple from requiring developers to ... Read More
Australian Court Holds News Publishers Liable for Third Party Comments
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Australian Court Holds News Publishers Liable for Third Party Comments

On September 8, the High Court of Australia denied media companies’ appeal of the Supreme Court of New South Wales defamation decision last year. On June 1, 2020, the Supreme Court of New South Wales held that several media companies ... Read More
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Statement: Small News Publishers Get Deal in Australia

After a month of negotiating collectively under authorization from the ACCC, with the looming threat of forced arbitration, Australian news organization Country Press Australia (CPA), which includes over 180 regional and local publications across the country, struck a deal with ... Read More
Small News Publishers in Australia Get Deal with Google
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Small News Publishers in Australia Get Deal with Google

Today, over 70 regional news publications represented by Country Press Australia reached a deal to join Google News Showcase. This deal will allow the publishers to be fairly compensated for their content by terms that they negotiated with the dominant ... Read More
Copyright Office Publishes a Study on Copyright and State Sovereign Immunity
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Copyright Office Publishes a Study on Copyright and State Sovereign Immunity

On August 31, the U.S. Copyright Office published its long-awaited study on state sovereign immunity in copyright cases. The report, requested last year by Senators Thom Tills (R-NC) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT), finds that although there are multiple documented cases ... Read More
Google Having Secret Meetings with Select Publishers about Privacy Sandbox
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Google Having Secret Meetings with Select Publishers about Privacy Sandbox

Digiday reported that Google has been meeting with select, large publishers about its privacy sandbox. Though a Google spokesperson said they are “committed to open dialogue with publishers of all sizes,” most publishers were excluded from these meetings. Google and ... Read More
New York Chosen as Venue for Google Antitrust Cases
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New York Chosen as Venue for Google Antitrust Cases

The Judicial Panel for Multistate Litigation (JPML) ruled on the antitrust litigation pending against Google and selected New York as the forum for all cases. This is a very positive development, as the venue is more favorable than California as ... Read More
ACCC Allows for Greater Collective Bargaining by News Publishers
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ACCC Allows for Greater Collective Bargaining by News Publishers

On August 5, the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) announced that it would allow Country Press Australia (CPA) and its members to collectively negotiate with Google and Facebook. The authorization will last for 10 years. The CPA, which represents ... Read More
Twitter Partnering with News Publishers to Diminish Misinformation
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Twitter Partnering with News Publishers to Diminish Misinformation

On August 2, Twitter announced that it would be collaborating with The Associated Press and Reuters “to identify and elevate credible information on Twitter.” This program should increase and improve context added to certain tweets, anticipate and identify emerging conversations, and improve ... Read More
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MPA, Other organizations File Stay of PRC Rules That Will Lead to Postal Rate Increases

MPA and other organizations filed a stay of PRC rules that will lead to postal rate increases ... Read More
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MPA, Other Organizations File Stay of PRC Rules That Will Lead to Postal Rate Increases

MPA and other organizations filed a stay of PRC rules that will lead to postal rate increases ... Read More
France Fines Google 500 Million Euros
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France Fines Google 500 Million Euros

On July 13, France’s antitrust group announced a 500 million euro fine on Google for not complying with rules on conducting negotiations with news publishers. Several news publishers accused Google of failing to hold conversations in good faith to compensate ... Read More
State Attorneys General File Lawsuit Over Google’s Dominance of Android App Market
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State Attorneys General File Lawsuit Over Google’s Dominance of Android App Market

This week, Attorneys General from 36 states and the District of Columbia filed a new antitrust lawsuit against Google alleging that the tech giant abused its power with the company’s Play Store on Android devices. Plaintiffs allege that anticompetitive practices ... Read More
Federal Judge Asks New FTC Chair to Rewrite Blockbuster Tech Antitrust Lawsuit
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Federal Judge Asks New FTC Chair to Rewrite Blockbuster Tech Antitrust Lawsuit

In December of last year, the FTC unveiled massive antitrust lawsuits against Facebook seeking to have the social media company broken up. The suits accused Facebook of illegally crushing competition, namely the acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp, on its way ... Read More
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MPA Joins Industry Letter Urging ULC to Exclude a Private Right of Action from Model Privacy Legislation

MPA joins industry letter urging Uniform Law Commission to exclude a private right of action from model privacy legislation ... Read More
Google Delays Phase-Out of Third-Party Cookies
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Google Delays Phase-Out of Third-Party Cookies

In January 2020, Google announced that it would be devaluing third-party cookies within two years “to make the web more private and secure for users, while also supporting publishers.” While some advertisers considered shifting their budgets and ad tech vendors ... Read More
House Judiciary Committee Proceeds with Markup of Tech-Focused Antitrust Bills
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House Judiciary Committee Proceeds with Markup of Tech-Focused Antitrust Bills

The House Judiciary Committee held a markup hearing for a slate of antitrust bills aimed at reigning in the power of the nation’s largest tech companies. The bills included the Mergers Filing Fee Modernization Act of 2021 (H.R. 3843), the ... Read More
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Get our regular email updates! Stay in the know: Sign up here and we’ll email you when we publish new content ... Read More
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Google’s Settlement with the French Authorities Offers a Glimpse of Hope for News Publishers

In early June, the French competition authority, Autorité de la concurrence, announced that Google had reached an agreement with the authority to settle an antitrust investigation regarding the tech giant’s anticompetitive behavior in the market for online advertising services ... Read More
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Statement: Antitrust Bills Offer Long-Term Solution to Reining in Big Tech

Over the last year, multiple lawsuits, bills and investigations have been introduced to examine the anticompetitive behavior of Big Tech companies, such as Facebook and Google, and how their dominance of the online ecosystem harms news publishers and other creators ... Read More
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MPA Opposes Massachusetts Extended Producer Liability Bill

MPA issued a memorandum of opposition to a Massachusetts bill on extended producer liability (EPR) ... Read More
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MPA Position: Postal Regulatory Commission Proceeding on Changing Service Standards

MPA submitted its position to the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) in the proceeding on changing service standards ... Read More
New York Legislative Session Ends, Fails to Pass Consumer Privacy, Antitrust Bills
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New York Legislative Session Ends, Fails to Pass Consumer Privacy, Antitrust Bills

On June 10, the New York State legislature ended its session, failing to pass controversial bills related to antitrust and consumer privacy. While the legislature had considered various consumer privacy bills, none of them passed. The bills ranged from narrow ... Read More
Google Nears Settlement in French Online Advertising Case, Similar Proceedings Continue Globally
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Google Nears Settlement in French Online Advertising Case, Similar Proceedings Continue Globally

On May 27, The Wall Street Journal reported that Google was nearing a settlement with French regulators in an antitrust case that claims the tech giant has abused its power in the online advertising industry. Australian regulators are also investigating ... Read More
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MPA, Industry Groups Oppose New Delaware Automatic Renewal Bill

MPA joins other industry groups in opposing Delaware bill on new automatic renewal notices ... Read More
Alliance Objects to Transfer of Google Lawsuit from Texas to California
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Alliance Objects to Transfer of Google Lawsuit from Texas to California

The News Media Alliance submitted a response to the Judicial Panel of Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) regarding Google’s motion to move the antitrust case filed by the Attorneys General of Texas and 15 other states and territories from Texas to California ... Read More
Florida Adopts a Law Regulating Online Platforms’ Content Moderation Practices
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Florida Adopts a Law Regulating Online Platforms’ Content Moderation Practices

On May 25, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed the country’s first state law regulating online platform moderation practices. The bill makes it illegal for online platforms to suspend or ban state political candidates for more than 14 days or to ... Read More
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MPA and Other Trade Associations Submit Letter Opposing New York Privacy Act

MPA and other trade associations submitted a letter in opposition of the New York Privacy Act, ... Read More
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MPA Letter in Support of Postal Service Reform Act of 2021

MPA submitted a letter in support of the Postal Service Reform Act of 2021 ... Read More
New Members of Congress Sign on to Support Safe Harbor Bill
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New Members of Congress Sign on to Support Safe Harbor Bill

Re-introduced in March, the “Journalism Competition and Preservation Act” has gained bicameral, bipartisan support in Congress. Introducing sponsors David Cicilline (D-RI) and Ken Buck (R-CO) in the House, and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and John Kennedy (R-LA) in the Senate, have ... Read More
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MPA Opposes Postal Service Proposal to Transfer Bound Printed Matter Parcels to the Competitive Product List

The Association for Postal Commerce and MPA – The Association of Magazine Media submitted comments in response to the U.S. Postal Service’s request to transfer Bound Printed Matter Parcels (“BPM Parcels”) to the competitive product list ... Read More
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MPA Submits Letter on Colorado Automatic Renewal Bill

MPA submitted a letter on notification times and enforcement of the Colorado automatic renewal bill ... Read More
Alliance Hosts Virtual Fly-In for Publishers, Congressional Leaders to Discuss Safe Harbor
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Alliance Hosts Virtual Fly-In for Publishers, Congressional Leaders to Discuss Safe Harbor

From May 10 – 12, the Alliance hosted a series of meetings between local member publishers and their representatives in Congress so they could discuss the “Journalism Competition and Preservation Act” (JCPA) and the impact the legislation would have on ... Read More
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MPA Submits Letter on Alaska Consumer Privacy Legislation

MPA submitted a letter to Alaska legislators on the proposed Alaska consumer privacy legislation ... Read More
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MPA Urges Department of Justice to Protect Journalists Covering Protests

MPA joined a coalition of media organization urging the Department of Justice to protect journalists covering protest activities ... Read More
Support the Safe Harbor Bill on Social Media
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Support the Safe Harbor Bill on Social Media

Show your support for the "Journalism Competition and Preservation Act" and ask your Members of Congress to do the same with these pre-written tweets and eye-catching social graphics ... Read More
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MPA, Industry Groups Oppose California Automatic Renewal Bill

MPA joined other industry groups in opposing a California bill on automatic renewals and continuous service offers ... Read More
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MPA, Other Organizations Respond to Postmaster General’s Proposed Plan to Achieve Financial Sustainability

MPA and other organizations responded to the Postmaster General's recently-issued proposed plan, “Delivering for America: Our Vision and Ten-Year Plan to Achieve Financial Sustainability and Service Excellence.” ... Read More
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MPA Submits Written Testimony Opposing Colorado Automatic Renewal Bill

MPA submitted written testimony opposing Colorado bill on automatic renewals. View letter ... Read More
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MPA, Industry Groups Oppose Colorado Bill Requiring Written Consent for Automatic Renewals

MPA joined other industry groups in opposing a Colorado bill requiring written consent for automatic renewals ... Read More
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FTC’s Google Memos Underline the Need for Legislation to Balance the Online Marketplace

In mid-March, Politico published a powerful piece of investigative reporting titled “How Washington fumbled the future,” detailing the Federal Trade Commission’s 2012 investigation into Google’s anticompetitive conduct and the agency’s failure to bring a case against Google ... Read More
Google Defends Anti-Competitive Behavior
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Google Defends Anti-Competitive Behavior

Nearly 65 percent of all Google searches end without a user going to a different website, according to a report by Rand Fishkin. The Alliance’s White Paper further detailed how Google creates a walled garden by using its market dominant position to diminish the ... Read More
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MPA Testimony Opposing Proposed Washington Personal Data Tax

MPA submitted written testimony opposing the proposed Washington state personal data tax ... Read More
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Alliance Testimony: House Antitrust Hearing on Saving Local Journalism

On March 12, News Media Alliance President & CEO, David Chavern, testified at the House Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative Law Subcommittee hearing, "Reviving Competition, Part 2: Saving the Free and Diverse Press." Watch his testimony ... Read More
Journalism Competition and Preservation Act Re-Introduced
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Journalism Competition and Preservation Act Re-Introduced

On March 12, the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative Law held a hearing about “Saving the Free and Diverse Press” by reviving competition in the marketplace. At the hearing, Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI) introduced the "Journalism Competition ... Read More
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News Media Alliance Applauds Members of House and Senate for Reintroducing Journalism Competition & Preservation Act

The News Media Alliance applauds House Antitrust Chairman David Cicilline (D-RI), Ranking Member Ken Buck (R-CO), Senate Antitrust Chairwoman Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Senator John N. Kennedy (R-LA) for today reintroducing the “Journalism Competition and Preservation Act” (JCPA) ... Read More
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MPA Letter on the Enforcement Mechanisms of the Washington Privacy Act

MPA sent a letter on the enforcement mechanisms of the Washington Privacy Act, ... Read More
Alliance Submits Comments on Proposed Changes to the Copyright Act
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Alliance Submits Comments on Proposed Changes to the Copyright Act

On March 5, the News Media Alliance submitted comments to Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) regarding his proposed Digital Copyright Act of 2021 (DCA) discussion draft, published in December 2020. The discussion draft includes numerous revisions to Sections 512 and 1201 ... Read More
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MPA and Coalition Comment on California Bill on Automated Decision Making Technology

MPA and Coalition submitted comments on California bill on automated decision making technology ... Read More
Maryland Senate Passes a Bill Exempting News Publishers from Digital Ad Tax
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Maryland Senate Passes a Bill Exempting News Publishers from Digital Ad Tax

On March 5, the Maryland Senate passed a bill that would exempt news publishers from the state’s recently adopted digital advertising tax. Introduced in early-February, SB 787 aims to prevent services subject to the tax from passing the costs to ... Read More
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MPA Letter to Virginia Governor Northam on the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act

MPA submitted a letter to Virginia Governor Ralph Northam on the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act ... Read More
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MPA Opposes New York Extended Producer Liability Bill

MPA issued a memorandum of opposition to a New York bill on extended producer liability (EPR) ... Read More
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Statement: Australia Passes News Media Bargaining Code, Platforms Must Pay for News

Today, the Australian Parliament voted to pass the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission news media bargaining code, which requires the dominant tech platforms to, among other things, negotiate with and compensate news publishers in Australia for use of their content ... Read More
Australia Passes Bargaining Code
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Australia Passes Bargaining Code

On February 25, both houses of the Australian Parliament passed the News Media Bargaining Code. It passed with several last-minute amendments that include more negotiation time before binding arbitration and government discretion to exempt the platforms from arbitration after considering the power ... Read More
Microsoft Joins Coalition to Compensate News Publishers
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Microsoft Joins Coalition to Compensate News Publishers

On February 22, Microsoft announced that it would join forces with European publishers to have platforms pay for news content throughout Europe. They plan to model the payment directive on Australia’s News Media Bargaining Code legislation, with an arbitration model. That ... Read More
Microsoft Joins Coalition to Tackle Misinformation
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Microsoft Joins Coalition to Tackle Misinformation

On February 22, Microsoft announced that it would join forces with tech and media companies to form a coalition aimed at addressing disinformation and “developing technical standards for certifying the source and history or provenance of media content.” This technology could create ... Read More
Facebook Strikes Deal, Will Reinstate News in Australia
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Facebook Strikes Deal, Will Reinstate News in Australia

On February 22, Facebook announced it had reached an agreement with the Australian government to keep news on its platform. The announcement appeared as an update on the company’s original blog post announcing it would ban news from its platform ... Read More
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MPA Opposes Oregon Extended Producer Liability Bill

MPA issued a memorandum of opposition to an Oregon bill on extended producer liability (EPR) ... Read More
Facebook Blocks Australian News
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Facebook Blocks Australian News

On February 17, Facebook announced it would prevent users and publishers from “sharing or viewing Australian and international news content.” This means Australian news publishers and individual users will be unable to post or share any news content to Facebook, ... Read More
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‘The Real Story: Who Will Pay for the News?’: BBC World News Service with Danielle Coffey

News Media Alliance Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Danielle Coffey, joined a panel on BBC's World News Service radio show, "The Real Story: Who Will Pay for the News?" to discuss the proposed news media bargaining code in Australia ... Read More
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Statement: Facebook to Restrict Sharing of News in Australia

Facebook has announced it will limit sharing and viewing of news by publishers and users in Australia on its platform, in response to the proposed news media bargaining code in the country ... Read More
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MPA Opposes New Hampshire Bill Requiring Written Consent for Automatic Renewals

MPA joined other industry groups in opposing a New Hampshire bill requiring written consent for automatic renewals ... Read More
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MPA Letter on the Enforcement Mechanisms of the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act

MPA submitted a letter on the enforcement mechanisms of the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act ... Read More
European Union Moves Closer to Adopting the ePrivacy Regulation
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European Union Moves Closer to Adopting the ePrivacy Regulation

On February 10, the European Union took a decisive step towards adopting the proposed ePrivacy Regulation as the European Council reached a compromise on its negotiating mandate. The ePrivacy Directive, first proposed by the European Commission in 2017, would update ... Read More
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Statement: News Media Alliance Applauds Australian News Media Bargaining Code Report Requiring Big Tech to Pay for News

The News Media Alliance commends the release today of the Australian Parliament’s Economics Legislation Committee Report on the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) News Media Bargaining Code ... Read More
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MPA Opposes Hawaii Extended Producer Liability Bill

MPA issued a memorandum of opposition to a Hawaii bill on extended producer liability (EPR) ... Read More
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MPA Opposes Maryland Extended Producer Liability Bill

MPA issued a memorandum of opposition to a Maryland bill on extended producer liability (EPR) ... Read More
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MPA Letter: Enforcement Mechanisms of the Washington Privacy Act

MPA submitted a letter on the enforcement mechanisms of the Washington Privacy Act ... Read More
Maryland Exempts News Publishers from Ad Tax
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Maryland Exempts News Publishers from Ad Tax

On February 5, Maryland Senate President William Ferguson introduced a bill that would exempt news publishers from Maryland’s digital advertising tax. The legislation also prohibits the taxable companies from passing on the cost of the tax to the consumer. Maryland’s efforts are ... Read More
Google Launches News Showcase in Australia
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Google Launches News Showcase in Australia

On February 4, Google announced it was launching its News Showcase in Australia. If publishers agree to Google’s terms, Google will pay them for including their content in the Showcase. The details on payment remain unreleased. Publications participating in the News Showcase ... Read More
Canadian Publishers Urge Parliament to Preserve Press
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Canadian Publishers Urge Parliament to Preserve Press

On February 3, News Media Canada released a letter to all Members of Parliament, urging them to prepare legislation to compensate news publishers for their content. The letter points out that Google and Facebook have disproportionate market power and use ... Read More
Microsoft Supports Australia’s Code
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Microsoft Supports Australia’s Code

On February 3, Microsoft released a statement fully supporting Australia’s News Media Bargaining Code. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella spoke with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Communications Minister Paul Fletcher about correcting the power imbalance between digital platforms and Australian news ... Read More
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Statement: News Media Alliance Applauds Microsoft for Support of Australia Bargaining Code

Microsoft President Brad Smith today outlined Microsoft’s support for the proposed bargaining code in Australia that would, among other things, require dominant tech platforms to negotiate with and compensate news publishers for use of their content ... Read More
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Alliance CEO Op-Ed: Media Code is Thoughtful, Brave and Might Save Journalism

An op-ed by News Media Alliance President & CEO, David Chavern ran in The Australian today, regarding the proposed bargaining code in Australia to require the big tech platforms to pay news publishers for use of their content ... Read More
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MPA Opposes New York Extended Producer Liability Bill That Includes Paper Products

MPA issued a memorandum of opposition to a New York bill that includes paper products in the extended producer liability (EPR) system ... Read More
ACCC Holds Public Hearing on News Media Bargaining Code
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ACCC Holds Public Hearing on News Media Bargaining Code

On February 1, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) hosted a public hearing to discuss the News Media Bargaining Code legislation and address concerns raised by public submissions. While the hearing addressed praise for and concerns about the Code, ... Read More
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Statement: Ad Tech Antitrust Lawsuit Against Google Should Stay in Texas

Today, the News Media Alliance submitted a Declaration with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas to strongly advocate to keep the ad tech antitrust lawsuit against Google – filed by the State of Texas and nine ... Read More
Google Attacks Australian Code Again
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Google Attacks Australian Code Again

On January 31, Google released a blog with “Questions and Answers” about Australia’s News Media Bargaining Code. A third of Google’s “answers” included reference to Google’s News Showcase as the solution for news publishers seeking compensation and proof of Google’s ... Read More
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MPA, Other Organizations File Motion to Stay Possible Postal Rate Increases

MPA and other organizations filed a motion to stay possible postal rate increases until the case challenging the Postal Regulatory Commission's final rules is fully adjudicated ... Read More
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Op-Ed for News Publishers: Slow Vaccine Distribution and Disappearing Local News are Crises with a Common Solution

The Philadelphia Inquirer recently published an op-ed that it has approved Alliance members to run in their publications, suggesting that the rise in closures of local news and problems with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy can both be improved through government advertising ... Read More
Google Releases Own “Facts” About Australia’s News Media Bargaining Code
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Google Releases Own “Facts” About Australia’s News Media Bargaining Code

On January 22, in yet another attempt to discredit Australia’s upcoming Code requiring digital platforms to compensate news publishers for their content, Google released a blog listing eight “facts” about Google and the Code. These so-called facts include that the ... Read More
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Statement: News Media Alliance Criticizes U.S. Trade Representative Letter Pressuring Australian Government to Postpone Platform Bargaining Code

Today the News Media Alliance sent a letter to the U.S. Economic Council Director, Brian Deese, and the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR)-Designate, Hon. Katherine Tai, to express serious concerns about a recent attempt by the USTR – in the very last ... Read More
Google Enters Agreement to Pay French Publishers
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Google Enters Agreement to Pay French Publishers

On January 21, Google officially signed an agreement to compensate a coalition of French publishers for Google’s use of their content. In a blog post, Google called the agreement a “major step forward” and a framework for all of Google’s future negotiations with ... Read More
State AGs to File Third Lawsuit Against Google
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State AGs to File Third Lawsuit Against Google

On January 15, Reuters reported that State Attorneys General are planning to file a third lawsuit against Google focusing on its Play Store for Android phones. The lawsuit is expected to be filed in February or March. Google’s policies include ... Read More
WhatsApp Delays New Privacy Policy After Backlash
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WhatsApp Delays New Privacy Policy After Backlash

On January 15, WhatsApp announced it would delay its recent privacy policy update after users raised concerns about the app sharing data with its parent company, Facebook. Originally, users were required to consent to the policy by February 8 or ... Read More
Google Experimenting with Removing Australian Media from Search Results
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Google Experimenting with Removing Australian Media from Search Results

On January 13, the The Australian Financial Review reported that Google was adjusting algorithms to block Australian news sites, as part of an “experiment.” A Google spokesperson confirmed this report, saying that the adjusted algorithms would “reach about 1% of ... Read More
FCC No Longer Clarifying Section 230
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FCC No Longer Clarifying Section 230

On January 7, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said in a C-SPAN interview that he no longer intends to move forward with the notice of proposed rule-making to clarify Section 230. He said he had insufficient time to complete the administrative ... Read More
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Alliance CEO: Congress Must Give Local News Publishers a Chance

On December 28, National Review published a column by News Media Alliance President & CEO, David Chavern, discussing the recent lawsuit by ten attorneys general against Google for anticompetitive behavior, and the need for Congress to grant an antitrust safe ... Read More
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Statement: News Media Alliance Commends Senator Tillis for Supporting Copyright Reform, High-Quality Journalism

The News Media Alliance applauds Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) for the release of the discussion draft of his proposed Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) reform bill, which includes proposals that would help news publishers protect their online content and facilitate ... Read More
Bipartisan Group of Senators Call on USTR to Not Include Section 230 in U.S.-UK Agreement
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Bipartisan Group of Senators Call on USTR to Not Include Section 230 in U.S.-UK Agreement

On December 18, a bipartisan group of Senators sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Robert E. Lighthizer, requesting that the administration not include broad online liability protections in the potential U.S.-UK trade agreement. The letter, signed by Senators Mark Warner ... Read More
38 States File Antitrust Lawsuit Against Google
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38 States File Antitrust Lawsuit Against Google

On December 17, a bipartisan coalition of 38 states filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia alleging Google used its market power to thwart competition. The lawsuit alleges that Google leveraged its market power ... Read More
10 States File Digital Advertising Lawsuit Against Google
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10 States File Digital Advertising Lawsuit Against Google

On December 16, 10 states filed a complaint in the District Court for the Eastern District of Texas Sherman division alleging that Google illegally monopolized products and services that publishers used to advertise. The complaint further alleges that Google’s anticompetitive ... Read More
FTC Sues Facebook for Anti-Competitive Behavior
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FTC Sues Facebook for Anti-Competitive Behavior

On December 9, the FTC announced that it will sue Facebook for violating antitrust law along with 46 states' attorneys general. The complaint, filed in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, alleges that “Facebook has engaged in a ... Read More
Australian Government Introduces Legislation Establishing Mandatory Code of Conduct for Online Platforms
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Australian Government Introduces Legislation Establishing Mandatory Code of Conduct for Online Platforms

On December 9, the Australian government published its proposed legislation to create an enforceable code to require online platforms to pay news publishers for their content. The law will codify the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) draft code released ... Read More
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Alliance CEO Contributes to Washington Post’s Five Myths Column

On Friday, The Washington Post published it's weekly Five Myths column, which featured News Media Alliance President & CEO David Chavern dispelling five myths about the news business ... Read More
Google Giving Access to Paywalled Content
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Google Giving Access to Paywalled Content

On December 2, Google announced that it would start giving consumers access to paywalled content. Google will pay participating publishers for Google News Showcase users’ access to paywalled content. Google News Showcase launched two months ago in limited countries and Google ... Read More
Facebook to Pay Some UK Publishers
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Facebook to Pay Some UK Publishers

On November 30, Facebook announced it would pay some UK publishers for their content. Facebook will hire contractors to select the main stories of the day from mainstream outlets to appear in its News Tab. Facebook has not said how much ... Read More
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News Media Alliance Outlines Policy Objectives to Biden-Harris Transition Team

The News Media Alliance today sent recommendations to President-Elect Joseph Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris’s transition team outlining policy positions on regulations and existing laws that deter investment and limit growth in the news media industry ... Read More
House of Lords Calls on UK Government to Ensure a Sustainable Future for Journalism
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House of Lords Calls on UK Government to Ensure a Sustainable Future for Journalism

On November 27, the Select Committee on Communications and Digital of the House of Lords of the United Kingdom published a report titled “Breaking News? The Future of UK Journalism.” The comprehensive report outlines the UK news media landscape before ... Read More
UK Government to Develop a Code of Conduct and Establish a Digital Markets Unit to Regulate Online Platforms
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UK Government to Develop a Code of Conduct and Establish a Digital Markets Unit to Regulate Online Platforms

On November 27, the UK Government released its responses to the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) study on online platforms and digital advertising, published in July 2020. In its response, the Government accepted the CMA’s findings and recommendations and committed ... Read More
Google Compensating Some French Publishers
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Google Compensating Some French Publishers

On November 19, Google entered into a copyright agreement with six French publishers to compensate them for their content. The agreement comes after a court ordered Google to begin negotiations with French publishers to pay them for the use of ... Read More
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Big Tech Says Publishers Keep Majority of Ad Revenue, But Experience Suggests Otherwise

While the straight revenue share between Google AdSense and publishers was clearly tilted in favor of the publishers, Google AdSense has become le­ss relevant for publishers who sell through Google Ad Manager, an opaque marketplace. And Google benefits significantly more ... Read More
FCC Nominee Grilled on Section 230
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FCC Nominee Grilled on Section 230

On November 10, Nathan Simington, Trump’s nominee to replace FCC Commissioner Michael O’Rielly, was questioned by Senators at a nominations hearing. Nathan Simington is a Senior Adviser at the National Telecommunications and Information Association, which petitioned the FCC for rulemaking ... Read More
Senator Cantwell Releases Report on Challenges to Local Journalism
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Senator Cantwell Releases Report on Challenges to Local Journalism

On October 27, Senator Maria Cantrell (D-WA), Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce Committee, released a report on threats to local news in today’s digital landscape. It explains how Google and Facebook have created a crisis for local news, whose revenues have ... Read More
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News Media Alliance Statement: Senator Cantwell Releases Report on Local News

The News Media Alliance commends Senate Commerce Committee Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-WA) for the release of her report, “Local Journalism: The Threat to America’s Most Trusted News Source,” outlining how changes in the information marketplace and the dominance of ... Read More
Canadian Publishers Call for Compensation
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Canadian Publishers Call for Compensation

On October 21, News Media Canada released a statement on behalf of Canada’s news publishers calling on Parliament to address Google and Facebook’s excessive market power. Because Google and Facebook control the majority of advertising revenue, news publishers’ bottom line is at ... Read More
DOJ Files Lawsuit Against Google
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DOJ Files Lawsuit Against Google

On October 20, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and 11 state Attorneys General filed a lawsuit against Google in the District Court for the District of Columbia for allegedly violating antitrust laws under Section 2 of the Sherman Act, in hopes of ... Read More
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Statement: DOJ Files Antitrust Lawsuit Against Google

In response to the lawsuit filed today by the Department of Justice (DOJ) accusing Google of antitrust violations related to its search and advertising services, Alliance President and CEO, David Chavern, stated, "It is good that the DOJ is starting ... Read More
FCC to Interpret Section 230
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FCC to Interpret Section 230

On October 15, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai released a statement saying that “the FCC has the legal authority to interpret Section 230” and the FCC will “move forward with a rulemaking to clarify its meaning.” President Trump issued an Executive Order in May ... Read More
Justice Thomas Wants to Limit Section 230
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Justice Thomas Wants to Limit Section 230

On October 13, the Supreme Court denied cert to a case implicating Section 230, but Justice Thomas released a statement stressing the importance of walking back the broad Section 230 immunity that lower courts have granted. Justice Thomas detailed how the courts ... Read More
Google Excludes Australia from News Showcase in Latest ACCC Retaliation
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Google Excludes Australia from News Showcase in Latest ACCC Retaliation

Google is delaying Australia’s inclusion in its latest news resource, after the ACCC announced its mandatory news media bargaining code requiring Google to fairly compensate news publishers. Since then, Google has spread misinformation about the Code and released a statement condemning the code. The ACCC remains ... Read More
French Court Requires Google to Negotiate with News Publishers
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French Court Requires Google to Negotiate with News Publishers

On October 8, a French appeals court ruled against Google, requiring them to negotiate with news publishers to pay them for their content. Prior to this ruling, reports indicate a deal was tentatively struck with a French news publishers association ... Read More
House Antitrust Subcommittee Releases Report on Big Tech
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House Antitrust Subcommittee Releases Report on Big Tech

House Antitrust Chairman David Cicilline (D-RI) and the House Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative Law concluded their year-long, bipartisan investigation of big tech’s market power by releasing their comprehensive report. The report discusses the online platforms’ anticompetitive actions against news ... Read More
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Statement: News Media Alliance Applauds House Report on Dominant Online Platforms and Market Power

House Antitrust Chairman David Cicilline (D-RI) and the House Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative Law have released their long-awaited report on the anticompetitive behavior of the big tech platforms ... Read More
Final Big Tech Antitrust Hearing Calls for Regulation
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Final Big Tech Antitrust Hearing Calls for Regulation

On October 1, the House Antitrust Subcommittee held the last of seven hearings to investigate Google, Facebook, Amazon, and Apple for possible antitrust violations. The witnesses clashed over what Congress should do, with some suggesting major overhauls of antitrust law ... Read More
Senate Subpoenas Big Tech CEOs
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Senate Subpoenas Big Tech CEOs

On October 1, the Senate Commerce Committee voted to issue subpoenas to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, and Google CEO Sundar Pichai if they do not agree to testify voluntarily. The CEOs will testify about Section 230 ... Read More
DOJ Proposes Section 230 Changes to Congress
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DOJ Proposes Section 230 Changes to Congress

On September 23, the DOJ submitted its proposed Section 230 changes to Congress. The legislation would make it more difficult for big tech to escape liability for content moderation, requiring an “objectively reasonable belief” that the content they remove falls ... Read More
Google Continues Attack on ACCC News Bargaining Code
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Google Continues Attack on ACCC News Bargaining Code

On September 13, Google released its latest statement about its grievances with Australia’s newest proposed regulation to compensate news publishers. While Google again claims that they “simply help people find what they’re looking for on the internet,” their use and ... Read More
ACCC to Examine App Store Competition
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ACCC to Examine App Store Competition

On September 8, the ACCC announced that it is opening an investigation into “the extent of competition between Google and Apple’s app stores.” They will be informed by Australian consumers, developers, suppliers, and others’ experiences with the app stores. Because apps have ... Read More
Australian Treasurer Supports News, Condemns Facebook Threats
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Australian Treasurer Supports News, Condemns Facebook Threats

Following Facebook’s recent retaliation against the ACCC’s news media bargaining code, Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg refuses to back down, saying, “Australia makes laws that advance our national interest, and we won’t be responding to coercion or heavy-handed tactics, wherever they come from.” ... Read More
French Publishers Fail to Reach an Agreement with Google on Compensation
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French Publishers Fail to Reach an Agreement with Google on Compensation

According to news reports, Google and French news publishers failed to reach an agreement on compensation for the use of news content under the new Publishers’ Right adopted by the European Union last year. France is the first EU member ... Read More
Alliance Calls on Congress to Abrogate State Sovereign Immunity in Copyright Cases
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Alliance Calls on Congress to Abrogate State Sovereign Immunity in Copyright Cases

On September 2, the News Media Alliance filed comments with the U.S. Copyright Office regarding state sovereign immunity in copyright suits. The Copyright Office is conducting a study into instances of state infringement of copyrights, in response to a request ... Read More
Alliance Submits Comments with the European Commission on Google’s Abusive Business Practices
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Alliance Submits Comments with the European Commission on Google’s Abusive Business Practices

On September 3, the News Media Alliance submitted comments in response to the European Commission’s public consultation on the proposed Digital Services Act package. The consultation is aimed at collecting views from stakeholders regarding the future of digital services in ... Read More
Apple’s New Privacy Policy Bad for Ad Revenue, Says Facebook
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Apple’s New Privacy Policy Bad for Ad Revenue, Says Facebook

Facebook recently alleged that Apple’s new privacy policy will cripple efforts to offer personalized ads. These changes would require that app developers obtain users’ consent before they are able to track information used to deliver personalized ads. This policy is ... Read More
Facebook Retaliates Against Australian Bargaining Code
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Facebook Retaliates Against Australian Bargaining Code

On August 31, Facebook issued a press release saying that if the ACCC’s draft code becomes law, they will no longer allow publishers or consumers to share any news on Facebook and Instagram. Facebook alleges that the regulation “misunderstands” the bargaining ... Read More
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Statement: Facebook’s Threat to Block News in Australia

Facebook's threat to block real journalism from its properties is simply an attempt to bully the Australian government and legislature.  It is also a clear attempted exercise of their massive, anticompetitive market power.   ... Read More
Google Suspected in Latest Campaign Against Australian Bargaining Code
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Google Suspected in Latest Campaign Against Australian Bargaining Code

On August 26, The Australian reported that Google is suspected of using “scare tactics” to push back against the recent passage by the Australia Competition & Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) mandatory bargaining code to fairly compensate news publishers. Both Senators and ... Read More
Google Implements New Ad Blockers
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Google Implements New Ad Blockers

Google is supposed to implement a new “heavy ad blocker” in late August, according to a Google official’s activity on a Chromium message board. Google defines a heavy ad as any ad that a user hasn’t interacted with that uses ... Read More
News Publishers Push Back on Apple Policies
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News Publishers Push Back on Apple Policies

On August 20, Digital Content Next (DCN) sent a letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook asking about better terms for revenue sharing from digital subscriptions to news publishers’ content through Apple’s App Store. DCN represents a broad variety of news ... Read More
DOJ Attorneys Want to Delay Big Tech Lawsuit
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DOJ Attorneys Want to Delay Big Tech Lawsuit

The Wall Street Journal reported that some Department of Justice (DOJ) staffers are concerned that the lawsuit against Google is not ready to be filed, despite Attorney General Barr hoping to file by the end of the summer. While the DOJ has ... Read More
Google Spreads Misinformation About ACCC News Media Bargaining Code
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Google Spreads Misinformation About ACCC News Media Bargaining Code

Google released an open letter to Australians claiming that the Australia Competition & Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) draft news media bargaining code threatens consumer data privacy, the accuracy of search results, and the ability of Google and YouTube to remain free services. The ... Read More
ACCC Rules Facebook & Google Must Pay Australian Publishers
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ACCC Rules Facebook & Google Must Pay Australian Publishers

On July 31, the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission's (ACCC) released its mandatory News Media Bargaining Code to correct the power imbalance between big tech and news publishers. The Code ensures publishers’ ability to be meaningfully compensated for news content through ... Read More
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Statement: News Media Alliance Applauds ACCC Draft Code Mandating Compensation for News Publisher Content from Big Tech Platforms

The News Media Alliance commends the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) for the release of the Draft News Media Bargaining Code, aimed at rectifying the imbalance of power between news publishers and digital platforms ... Read More
Congress Considers Extending PPP Options to More News Publishers
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Congress Considers Extending PPP Options to More News Publishers

Congressional leaders and the White House are continuing their discussions on the next stimulus bill, including an extension of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Both the Health, Economic Assistance, Liability Protection and Schools (HEALS) Act released by the Senate Republicans ... Read More
Top Tech CEOs Testify Before Congress Regarding Antitrust Investigation
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Top Tech CEOs Testify Before Congress Regarding Antitrust Investigation

On Wednesday, the CEOs of Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google all testified before the House Judiciary Committee’s Antitrust Subcommittee on Antitrust as part of the Subcommittee’s investigation into the anticompetitive practices of online platforms. The hearing was the sixth hearing ... Read More
European Publishers Unite to Negotiate with the Dominant Online Platforms
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European Publishers Unite to Negotiate with the Dominant Online Platforms

On July 30, French and German news publishers announced that they were working together to form a new joint venture to license news content to online platforms under the EU’s recently adopted Copyright Directive. Article 15 of the Directive created ... Read More
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VIDEO: Antitrust Hearing Includes Discussion of Big Tech’s Impact on Journalism

On Wednesday, the CEOs of Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google all testified before the House Judiciary Committee’s Antitrust Subcommittee on Antitrust as part of the Subcommittee’s investigation into the anticompetitive practices of online platforms ... Read More
PACT Act Introduced In Latest Effort to Reform Section 230
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PACT Act Introduced In Latest Effort to Reform Section 230

Following multiple efforts to reform Section 230, including the President’s Executive Order, DOJ study, and other legislation, Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI) and John Thune (R-SD) introduced the bipartisan Platform Accountability and Consumer Transparency (PACT) Act in late June. The PACT ... Read More
ACCC Claims Google Misled Consumers
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ACCC Claims Google Misled Consumers

On July 27, the Australia Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) began a proceeding against Google for allegedly misleading Australian users into giving consent for broad data collection. The ACCC alleges that Google did not obtain users’ “explicit informed consent” to combine ... Read More
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