Post Australia Law, Pressure Builds On India To Make Big Tech Pay Publishers

In an ongoing battle between publishers and big tech companies like Google and Meta, who are using published content on web to train AI models and directly impacting websites and news businesses around the world, Australian Government took a strong pro-publisher stand by pushing tech companies to pay for news content. Now, the move is fuelling a bigger debate in India-- Should big tech be made to pay publishers?Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese recently proposed a new law that could force platforms like Google and Meta to compensate publishers. As per the newly proposed News Bargaining Incentive, the major tech platforms will be taxed 2.25 per cent on their local revenues if they fail to strike payment deals with publishers.India is already

seeing a similar fight between publishers and tech platforms. According to news organisations and online websites, AI platforms like Gemini, Meta AI, Perplexity are using their content and earning ad money, while publishers are struggling to survive.The AI Copyright Debate: 'Compensate, Don't Infringe' And with AI features like AI Mode and AI overviews on Google, people get direct answers from AI tools and don’t always visit news websites. This means less traffic and less income for publishers.

Almost all publishers are facing a situation called 'Google Zero,' where traffic from Google search to their websites is disappearing because Google itself is giving all the answers.The pressure has been building in India to consider similar rules. But the question now is how India will respond.The Big Challenge: ExecutionAccording to tech experts, the biggest challenge for India will be execution.Tarun Pathak, Research Director at Counterpoint Research told Timesnownews.com the real issue is figuring out how to calculate the revenue platforms earn from news content. Digital business models are complex and separating news-related revenue is not easy. Then comes the question of distribution. If money is collected, how will it be shared among publishers? Should bigger media houses get more or should smaller digital publishers also get equal support?

Transparency is another concern. Without a clear framework, disputes between platforms and publishers could increase. Pathak also stressed that any system must be future-ready, especially as AI continues to change how content is used and monetised.According to Prabhu Ram VP-Industry Research Group, CyberMedia Research (CMR), India cannot directly copy Australia’s model."India’s digital ecosystem is much larger and more diverse, with thousands of publishers across languages and formats. Any regulation here must balance fair payment with innovation and user access," he said.Senior tech expert Faisal Kawoosa adds that the debate is no longer just about news platforms it is about the entire content ecosystem.According to the founder of TechArc, imposing a tax alone may not solve the problem. Platforms may argue they are not directly earning from news but helping in distribution. However, AI is changing that equation. AI tools are now using content -- including paid content -- to generate responses, often without proper attribution. "I am in support of content creators, including news agencies, being paid for their share irrespective of how big or small they are. For instance, there is a common social media user who posts something and it goes viral. The platform earns ad revenues, etc., but that individual gets nothing for their creativity. So there has to be a way to pay the ‘original content creators’, more so in the AI era where chatbots just pick up anything to serve their users, including the paid ones," he told Timesnownews.com. What Could Happen NextIndia is yet to introduce a similar law but discussions are clearly gaining pace.In fact, earlier this year, speaking at the Digital News Publishers Association (DNPA) Conclave 2026, Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said social media platforms must ensure fair revenue sharing with those who create content, including journalists, traditional media, influencers and researchers.IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw Warns Social Media Platforms: 'Share Revenue With Content Creators'

'Social media platforms must also share revenue in a fair way with the people who are creating the content, whether it is news persons, the conventional media, the creators sitting in far-flung areas, influencers, the professors and researchers who are disseminating their work using the platforms," Vaishnaw had said.There is clear pressure on US-based tech platforms especially with the AI boom. And if the government plans to bring such a law, companies like Google and Meta are expected to resist these regulations.