10 votes

Google's open letter to Australians

7 comments

  1. [2]
    Wes
    Link
    Incredibly, they've received a response. https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/response-to-google-open-letter
    8 votes
    1. vektor
      Link Parent
      We will, however, require google to pay news websites for the news articles they display on their services. How they pay the news websites is up to google. They could of course decide to pay it...

      Google will not be required to charge Australians for the use of its free services such as Google Search and YouTube, unless it chooses to do so.

      We will, however, require google to pay news websites for the news articles they display on their services. How they pay the news websites is up to google. They could of course decide to pay it out of pocket.

      Google will not be required to share any additional user data with Australian news businesses unless it chooses to do so.

      Key word being additional. So they will have to share some user data.......

      Un-bullshitting and up-snarking the accc statement.

      4 votes
  2. [4]
    skybrian
    Link
    It seems counterproductive and yet typical Google PR style to raise the alarm in such a vague way. Particularly: "put our free service at risk." Said twice, without elaboration. If you want to get...

    It seems counterproductive and yet typical Google PR style to raise the alarm in such a vague way. Particularly: "put our free service at risk." Said twice, without elaboration. If you want to get people's attention, how about saying what you mean?

    6 votes
    1. vektor
      (edited )
      Link Parent
      Agreed. Sounds way too vague. I'd like to know the exact wording of the law, but googling "News Media Bargaining Code" is flooded with coverage of the above google post. E: Nevermind, I used...

      Agreed. Sounds way too vague. I'd like to know the exact wording of the law, but googling "News Media Bargaining Code" is flooded with coverage of the above google post.

      E: Nevermind, I used duckduckgo... sigh Link - very long

      Frankly, that's too long to just take google's handwavy "that over there thing is dangerous" seriously. That said, it does read rather fishy. Division 4, Page 9, is where the spicy bits start I think?

      4 votes
    2. rmgr
      Link Parent
      It feels a little like a threat to me

      It feels a little like a threat to me

      4 votes
    3. rish
      Link Parent
      Is the new law specifically targeting Google or the letter makes it seem so?

      Is the new law specifically targeting Google or the letter makes it seem so?

      1 vote