Thread by @stalfel

Australia's proposed "media code" bill is a terrible solution to a very real problem and offers no template for Europe. In a nutshell. It proposes that media platforms, such as Google and FB, pay news orgs whose content is acessed through their platform. 1/

Sounds good? There are real problems. First, there is a very narrow definition of what media orgs are. Mainly concentrated corporate media (and the Guardian). Likely main beneficiary. Sky/Fox. Likely losers, small, local, and innovative media companies. 2/

Second, it makes the news media directly dependent on social media, creating an incentive to "optimize" their content for this toxic environment. In effect, it fuses the two environments, with social media dominating. 3/

Third, it aligns the two industries removing any incentive to hold this system accountable. This is a private-private partnership, effectively cementing an oligopoly that has no interest, for different reasons, in the type of journalism that is necessary for democracy. /4

Fourth, to fund expensive investigative or non-profitable local journalism, create some distance and non-market mechanisms. Either through a fund that distributes money based on quality standards or simply tax the companies and increase public media funding. /5

This would create both independence from social media giants and accountability towards the public. To get the details, listen to this great episode from the always great @techwontsaveus

stitcher.com/show/tech-wont…

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