A French court rules that Google must pay for news

The Paris Court of Appeal has confirmed that Google must negotiate with French publishers for the use of their news content.
 
In a decision that could have worldwide implications, the court upheld an earlier order given by Frances’s competition authority in April when regulators had argued that Google must negotiate payments under a “neighbouring rights” law that was adopted by the EU in 2019.
 
Google had argued that traffic generated on publishers’ websites constitutes sufficient “payment” maintaining that the press content generated little value.
 
The court ruled that, on the contrary, revenue-sharing is justified on the grounds that Google receives “definite economic benefit” from this content, both from direct and “especially” indirect ad revenue.
 
The Agence France-Presse (AFP) says the ruling also puts an end to a debate Google sought to maintain regarding press agencies’ right to directly negotiate payment for their own journalistic production. It clearly indicates that AFP must directly benefit from this right.
 
Strengthened by the Court of Appeal’s ruling, AFP hopes that discussions can now continue on the bases and conditions defined by the law.

 


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