News media bargaining code still gives too much power to big tech

There’s something genuinely welcome about the Albanian government’s spurned news-bargaining push: It acknowledges that journalism isn’t a hobby pursued by people who enjoy poverty, the risk of slander, and being yelled at by guys called “AussiePatriot1776” on X.

Under the draft plan, Google, Meta and TikTok will face a problem 2.25% fee on Australian gross revenue unless they have commercial agreements with eligible news publishers. These deals can potentially reduce the fee to zero, with credits worth 150% of eligible deals or 170% for smaller outlets.