Senate panel approves bill to give news organizations more power against tech platforms

A 3D printed Facebook’s new rebrand brand Meta is seen in front of shown Google brand in this illustration taken on November 2, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photograph

WASHINGTON, Sept 22 (Reuters) – The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee voted Thursday to approve a bill aimed at permitting information companies to band collectively to negotiate with Alphabet Inc’s (GOOGL.O) Google and Meta’s (META.O) Facebook and win a lot more income.

The bill passed the committee by a vote of 15 to 7, in accordance to a congressional aide. It should now go to the Senate for their approval. A equivalent monthly bill is ahead of the U.S. House of Representatives.

The bill is aimed at giving information and broadcast businesses more clout soon after a long time of criticism that significant tech companies use their written content to bring in targeted visitors and ad profits without quite compensating the publishers, many of which wrestle economically.

The monthly bill, led by Democrat Amy Klobuchar, captivated some Republican guidance, with Senators John Kennedy and Lindsey Graham sponsoring it. Other Democrats, like Senator Alex Padilla, expressed reservations about it.

The bill strike a speed bump previously this thirty day period when Senator Ted Cruz received backing for a prepare to include provisions to handle what he considers the platforms stifling conservative voices.

On Thursday Klobuchar gained guidance for an modification that specified that charges for use of articles was the situation.

“The goal of the bill is to allow for neighborhood news companies to get payment when main titans, monopolies like Fb and Google, entry their written content,” she reported at a committee session to vote on the bill.

Unlike other expenditures aimed at reining in significant tech, some progressive teams oppose this measure, together with Public Understanding, on the grounds that it favors big broadcasters like News Corp, Sinclair and Comcast/NBCU.

Also opposing the monthly bill are two engineering market trade teams that Fb and Google belong to: the Laptop or computer & Communications Business Affiliation and NetChoice.

Reporting by Diane Bartz enhancing by Jonathan Oatis

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