Fair compensation for media companies from technology platforms

Source: The post Fair compensation for media companies from technology platforms has been created, based on the article “Fair share: On Big Tech and media content” published in “The Hindu” on 29th October 2024.

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 2- Governance – Government policies for various sectors

Context: Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw recently highlighted two critical issues on National Press Day: fair compensation for media companies from technology platforms and the challenge of misinformation. As the Internet transforms media consumption and content creation, these issues demand urgent attention to protect the financial sustainability of news organisations and foster a trustworthy information ecosystem.

How India should handle the revenue sharing between Media and Big Techs?

Large technology platforms, such as Google and Meta, dominate digital advertising and set financial terms for using content created by news publishers. This imbalance threatens the financial viability of media companies, both in traditional and online formats.

Australia and France have taken several steps to mandate revenue-sharing agreements between Big Tech and publishers. These examples demonstrate how regulations can support equitable revenue distribution in a time when Artificial Intelligence enables large-scale, uncredited content use.

Similarly, India should create a robust legal framework to protect original creators and ensure sustainable journalism.

How India should combat misinformation?

1. Act as a facilitator instead of regulator: The government should act as a facilitator of trust, not a censor or regulator of content. Efforts to assume the role of a fact-checker, as seen in the stalled proposal to oversee truth about the Union government, are counterproductive.

2. Empowering Media Literacy: Improving public media literacy is a constructive step toward addressing misinformation. A well-informed public can discern credible information and reduce the impact of false narratives.

3. Even-Handed Application of Misinformation Laws: Existing laws are often selectively enforced, with authorities targeting opposition parties while ignoring similar violations by the ruling party. Impartial enforcement is essential to deter misinformation and maintain public trust.

Practice questions:

Discuss the challenges and solutions for fair revenue sharing between media companies and tech platforms in India. Suggest measures to combat misinformation while preserving freedom of expression.