Google announced on Friday that it is removing links to California news websites in response to proposed state legislation that would require big tech companies to pay news outlets for their content. The move is described as a 'test' affecting only a small percentage of California users to assess the impact of the legislation on Google's product experience.
The California Journalism Preservation Act, introduced in March 2023 and awaiting a hearing by the state's Senate Judiciary Committee, aims to mandate digital platforms like Google and Meta to pay a 'journalism usage fee' to eligible news outlets when using their content alongside digital ads. This legislation comes amidst a shift in news consumption from traditional media to online and social platforms, raising concerns about news aggregation practices diverting users from news websites.
