By Sean Maguire ( August 20, 2026, 07:25 GMT | Insight) -- The Australian Parliament approved the News Bargaining Incentive, requiring large social-media and search companies to either fund Australian news outlets through commercial deals or pay a 2.75 percent levy on Australian digital-advertising revenue, expected to raise up to $215 million annually. The regime, expected to capture Google, Meta Platforms, TikTok and LinkedIn, requires deals with at least eight news groups for a full tax offset and will apply retrospectively from the 2025-26 financial year. Media companies welcomed the measure, while technology companies and industry groups have criticized it as discriminatory.The Australian Parliament on Thursday approved legislation requiring Big Tech to pay upwards of A$300 million ($215 million) per year to fund local journalism....
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