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On Friday, Google began removing California news sites from some people's search results. The move comes as a test of what would happen if the state Legislature passed a new law requiring the search engine to pay media companies for linking to their content.
Google said in a blog post that it is using “a short-term test of a small percentage of users…to measure the impact of the legislation on our product experience.”
The company said it will also halt new investments in California's news industry, including its news organization partnership initiative and its product licensing program.
“By helping people find news stories, we are helping publishers of all sizes grow their audiences at no cost to them. (This bill) would end this Sample”.
The bill in question would require technology companies such as Google, Facebook and Microsoft to pay a certain percentage of advertising revenue to media companies for linking to their content. These fees will be determined by a panel of three judges through an arbitration process.
California has lost more than 100 news organizations in the past decade, according to Democratic Assemblywoman Buffy Weeks, the bill's author. She hopes the passage will stem the attrition in journalism.
“We are committed to continuing negotiations with Google and all other stakeholders to secure a brighter future for journalists in California and ensure the lights of democracy stay on.”
The state Assembly passed the bill last year with bipartisan support despite intense opposition and lobbying efforts from Big Tech companies. The California Senate will have to pass it later this year to become law.
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