Google, the tech giant behind Alphabet Inc, is making waves in California as it announces plans to temporarily remove links to news sites in the state. The move comes in response to proposed legislation that would require Google to pay for the content it serves up from these sites.
Jaffer Zaidi, Google’s vice president of global news partnerships, revealed in a blog post on Friday that the company will be conducting a short-term test for a small percentage of California users to gauge the impact of the proposed legislation on its products. The test will involve removing links to news sites, although specifics such as the duration of the test, the number of affected users, and the news organizations involved were not disclosed.
The bill in question, known as the California Journalism Preservation Act, has raised concerns for Google. Zaidi stated that the legislation would create uncertainty for businesses and urged lawmakers to consider a different approach to avoid negative consequences for the news industry in California.
In response to the regulatory environment in California, Google has decided to halt planned investments in news in the state until there is more clarity on the situation. This move mirrors actions taken by other tech giants, such as Meta Platforms Inc, which has chosen to wind down its news feature in Canada, the US, and Australia.
California assembly member Buffy Wicks, the driving force behind the bill, emphasized the importance of fairness in ensuring that platforms pay for the content they use. Wicks expressed a commitment to ongoing negotiations with Google and other stakeholders to support California journalists and uphold democratic values. The dialogue between Wicks and Google continues as they work towards a solution that benefits all parties involved.