South Africa's media landscape is in turmoil as Google and Meta's stronghold on digital advertising has reached a staggering 97% market share in the country. This dominance has led to a severe threat to press freedom and the very existence of the media industry.
The chief executive officer of News24, South Africa's largest digital news publisher, highlighted the dire situation during the Competition Commission inquiry. He emphasized that Google's dominance in digital advertising has surpassed what the apartheid government could achieve, silencing critical voices and weakening democracy.
