Meta: No Payment Required for User-Posted News Content in Indonesia
Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, has responded to a recent Indonesian government regulation aimed at redistributing profits between digital platforms and media firms. The regulation, signed by Indonesia's president, seeks to create a fairer landscape for the media industry by requiring digital platforms to compensate media outlets for the content they provide.
However, Meta's public policy director in Southeast Asia, Rafael Frankel, clarified in an email response to Reuters that Meta is not obligated to pay for news content voluntarily posted by users on its platform. The regulation, expected to come into effect within six months, mandates digital platforms to form partnerships with news companies, sharing revenues generated from the use of news content produced by press companies based on economic calculations.
Meta's stance underscores the ongoing debate surrounding the relationship between social media platforms and traditional media outlets. While the regulation seeks to address concerns about fair compensation for news content, Meta's interpretation suggests that it does not consider itself obligated to pay for user-generated news content shared on its platform.
The decision by Meta may have significant implications for the media landscape in Indonesia and beyond, as it highlights the challenges of regulating digital platforms and ensuring equitable treatment for news publishers in the digital age. As discussions continue on the implementation of the regulation, stakeholders will closely monitor how digital platforms and media companies navigate this evolving regulatory landscape.
