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WEKU
WEKU
Bobby Allyn

Facebook, Instagram to block news stories in California if bill passes

The standoff in California is the latest scuffle between the tech giants and the news industry. Facebook and Google also resisted efforts in Australia and Canada that aimed to force the companies to cut deals with news publishers. (LEON NEAL/AFP via Getty Images)

Facebook and Instagram will block all news articles in California if state lawmakers pass a bill meant to funnel money from the tech platforms to media organizations, a Meta spokesman threatened on Wednesday.

The California Journalism Preservation Act would essentially tax the advertising profits platforms make from distributing news articles. Under the measure, some 70% of the money collected from the so-called "usage fee" would support newsrooms throughout the state.

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