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Meta

Australia Plans Charges for Big Tech Over Unpaid News Content

Leave a Comment / By / Media Entertainment & Art Community

Australia’s government announced plans on Thursday to introduce new regulations compelling major tech companies like Meta (Facebook’s parent company) and Google to pay Australian media outlets for news content shared on their platforms. The proposed rules aim to create financial penalties for companies failing to negotiate fair compensation with news publishers, marking another step in Australia’s intensified scrutiny of Big Tech. Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services Stephen Jones outlined the initiative during a press conference. He explained that the regulations would apply to digital platforms generating over $250 million in Australian revenue, targeting significant social media networks and search engines. Platforms that fail to establish voluntary commercial agreements with media outlets may face charges amounting to millions of dollars. “The news bargaining initiative will provide a strong incentive for platforms and media businesses to strike commercial deals,” Jones stated, emphasizing the government’s commitment to fair revenue-sharing practices. Tech companies have criticized the proposed legislation. A Meta spokesperson argued the move disregards platform dynamics, pointing out that most users do not access their platforms for news and that publishers willingly post content to benefit from increased exposure. Similarly, a Google representative warned that the policy could jeopardize existing commercial agreements with news publishers in Australia. Australia’s tough stance on Big Tech is not new. In 2021, it enacted laws requiring platforms to pay for news links, prompting Meta to temporarily block news sharing before reaching deals with several Australian media firms. However, Meta has since scaled back news-related initiatives globally, including plans to discontinue its Facebook news tab in Australia by 2024. Media groups, including Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp, have welcomed the government’s latest proposal. News Corp Australia Executive Chairman Michael Miller expressed optimism about building beneficial partnerships with platforms like Meta and TikTok, calling for mutually advantageous relationships between publishers and tech companies.

Meta Considers $14 Monthly Ad-Free Plan for Facebook and Instagram in EU

Leave a Comment / By / Human Resource Community

Meta Platforms is reportedly considering a new plan in which users in the European Union may have to pay up to $14 per month to access ad-free versions of Facebook or Instagram. Alternatively, they can opt for personalized ads on the free versions of these platforms. According to sources familiar with the proposal, Meta would charge approximately 10 euros ($10.46) per month for a single Facebook or Instagram account when accessed on a desktop computer, with an additional fee of about 6 euros for each linked account. On mobile devices, the cost for a single account would be around 13 euros due to commissions imposed by Apple’s and Google’s app stores. Earlier this year, Meta received a 390 million euro fine from Ireland’s Data Privacy Commissioner, which restricted its ability to use the “contract” legal basis for delivering ads based on users’ online activities. In response, Meta announced its intention to seek user consent in the EU before allowing businesses to target ads, aiming to comply with evolving regulatory requirements in the region. Now, Meta has informed European regulators of its plans to introduce the ad-free offering, referred to as “subscription no ads” (SNA), in the coming months for European users. A Meta spokesperson stated that the company values “free services supported by personalized ads” but is exploring options to ensure compliance with evolving regulations. As of now, Meta, Ireland’s Data Protection Commission, and the European Commission have not provided comments in response to Reuters’ inquiries. The New York Times initially reported on Meta’s consideration of paid versions of Facebook and Instagram without ads for EU users, although specific pricing details were not disclosed.

Meta to reduce hiring of engineers by 30%

Leave a Comment / By / Human Resource Community

Meta Platforms Inc. has opted to hire fewer engineers than it had initially planned since it anticipates a recession. Meta will now hire only around 6,000 new engineers, which is 30% less than the 10,000 new engineers it had originally planned to hire. The company’s hiring plans are being revised as a result of the predicted severity of the recession, according to Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta. Its advertising business has also been impacted by the economic downturn. In May, the Company announced that it would halt hiring for some positions. Given that the war in Ukraine has negatively impacted sales, some positions will remain unfilled as Meta concentrates on getting rid of underperformers. Moreover, according to reports, Zuckerberg said that many of the employees did not deserve to work for the company given their poor performance. Meta will also take steps to limit spending. Since hiring accounted for the largest portion of expenses in the first quarter after recruiting over 5,800 people, Meta is attempting to reduce spending by lowering hiring targets. The organisation hopes to become more lean and, if necessary, ruthless in light of the serious circumstances and limited resources because it has been made clear to the staff that growth is anticipated to be slow.