What Next: TBD

Australia’s Kinda-Sorta Win Over Big Tech

A new type of legislation could change the way governments and big tech do business.

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Episode Notes

Over the last year, the Australian government has been waging a quiet war against Facebook and Google. Through a new law, it plans to force the big tech companies to pay news outlets in exchange for linking to their sites.

Will this new law have the intended effect? Or will it set a dangerous precedent that cedes even more power over to the tech giants?

Guest:
JR Hennessy, editor at Business Insider Australia

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About the Show

Every Friday, Slate’s popular daily news podcast What Next brings you TBD, a clear-eyed look into the future. From fake news to fake meat, algorithms to augmented reality, Lizzie O’Leary is your guide to the tech industry and the world it’s creating for us to live in.

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Host

  • Lizzie O’Leary is the host of What Next: TBD, Slate’s show about technology, power, and the future. Previously, she created and hosted Marketplace Weekend. She has reported for CNN, Bloomberg News, and the New York Times Magazine, among others. She is also a contributing writer at the Atlantic.