Facebook Threatens to Remove News from Its Platform if Law is Passed

The conflict between media companies and technology firms has entered a dangerous phase, after Meta (the owner of Facebook) explicitly threatened to remove news from its platform entirely if the U.S. Congress passes the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act. The company argues that broadcasters have benefited from sharing their content on its platform. Meta Platforms, the owner of Facebook, announced this threat in light of the proposed law, which would make it easier for news organizations to negotiate collectively with internet giants like Meta and Alphabet, the owner of Google, regarding the terms under which their content can be published online. Informed sources say that lawmakers are considering adding the Journalism Competition law to an annual defense bill as a way to support the struggling local news industry.