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Microsoft Corp. said on Wednesday it fully supports the proposed new laws in Australia that would force internet giants Google and Facebook Inc. to pay local media for their content.
“Although Microsoft is not subject to the laws currently pending, we will be prepared to comply with these rules if the government directs us,” the software company said in a statement.
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“The Code makes reasonable efforts to address the imbalance between bargaining power between digital platforms and Australian news businesses.”
Both Alphabet Inc’s Google and Facebook call the laws unworkable and said last month that they would withdraw some key services from Australia if the regulations continue.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Monday that Microsoft was ready to step in and expand its search product Bing in Australia if Google used its search engine, after talking to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella last week.
GOOGLE SAY IT WILL CLOSE THE SEARCH ENGINE IN AUSTRALIA IF FORCE TO PAY FOR NEWS
According to Google’s search engine, 94% of the country’s search market is.
Microsoft said in a statement that it would provide small businesses with the opportunity to transfer advertising business to Bing at no cost and that they would further invest in the product to ensure it was competitive.
| Ticker | Safety | Last | Alter | Alter% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSFT | MICROSOFT CORP. | 239.51 | -0.14 | -0.06% |
| GOOGL | ALPHABET INC. | 1 919,12 | +26.05 | + 1.38% |
| FB | FACEBOOK INC. | 267.08 | +5.07 | + 1.94% |
Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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(Reporting by Rashmi Ashok in Bengaluru and Byron Kaye in Sydney; Edited by Himani Sarkar and Sam Holmes)