Indonesia approves Google and Facebook payments for local news

Indonesia has approved a regulation that requires digital platforms, such as Facebook and Googlepay local media for the publication of their journalistic content.

The measure, signed a day earlier by President Joko Widodo, seeks to “support quality journalism” and smooth relations between the news industry and tech giants – such as Google and Meta, the owner of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.

According to the new rule, cooperation between digital platforms and media will take place through individual contracts that can be made through paid licenses, profit sharing and other negotiated proposals.

In a speech a day earlier on the occasion of National Press Day, the Indonesian president highlighted the importance of the new regulation, which he sees as the first step in “dealing with the digital transformation” currently taking place.

“Quality journalism and the sustainability of the mainstream media industry are important concerns for the Government and this is a long overdue measure.”“, said the president.

Widodo added that the process of drafting the regulation, proposed three years ago, was quite lengthy due to differences between Indonesian media and digital platforms.

Google and Facebook have so far not commented on the decision, although in 2023, amid debate over its application, Google pointed out that the regulation could potentially limit users’ access to a diversity of news sources instead of promoting quality journalism.

In 2021, Australia became the first country in the world to pass a law paying for journalistic content after noticing an imbalance in advertising revenue between tech companies and the country’s media.