Copyright and Big Tech: the Australian example inspires the debate in Italy
The Italian publishing world is looking with great interest at what is happening in Australia. Recently, the Australian government passed an innovative law called the 'News Bargaining Incentive', which requires large technology companies, the so-called Big Tech, to pay publishers for the use of journalistic content on their platforms.
This legislation represents a significant turning point in the relationship between web giants and traditional media. Thanks to this measure, digital platforms are forced to negotiate economic agreements with news outlets, ensuring financial compensation for the value generated by news shared online.
The FIEG, the Italian Federation of Newspaper Publishers, has expressed strong appreciation for the Australian initiative. According to the association, a similar model could also be applied in Italy to support the information sector, which in recent years has suffered a severe economic crisis due to the digital transformation of the advertising market.
The main objective of this proposal is to create a fairer and more transparent market. Publishers argue that, without fair compensation, the quality of professional information risks being severely tested, favoring the spread of unverified content on social media platforms.
The debate in Italy is now open and involves institutions, digital law experts, and media representatives. It remains to be seen whether the Italian government will decide to follow the path paved by Australia by introducing specific regulations to protect the work of journalists in the internet age.