( June 4, 2026, 01:49 GMT | Official Statement) -- MLex Summary: Meta Platforms in a Thursday blog post argues the Australian government's proposed A$250 million ($180 million) annual News Bargaining Incentive is a discriminatory, poorly designed tax on a small number of foreign companies that is disconnected from the value of news and broader than a typical digital services tax. The tech giant, in a submission on the draft legislation, says the policy — designed to fund local news from social media profits — is based on flawed assumptions, arguing that publishers already benefit commercially from sharing content on platforms. Meta, echoing US tech industry groups, says the tax will distort competition, entrench publisher dependence on government support and fail to create a sustainable or diverse media ecosystem.Statement follows. Submission attached....
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