Mainstream WeeklyThe exponential growth of big tech digital platforms has brought to the fore numerous challenges, not the least being questions of revenue sharing, violation of data privacy, targeted advertising, abuse of dominant position in the digital advertisement market, indulging in anticompetitive practices, perpetuation of dominant positions in online search markets, and so on. These issues also draw attention to the architecture of the contemporary global media system and the working of the digital media economy. An important issue is the question of fair revenue sharing between big tech digital platforms and online news publishers. This is not merely about financial resources and economic policies, but also about sustaining a well-functioning news media system for a vibrant democracy, which is already on the downslide world over. Over the recent past, countries like Australia and Canada have implemented regulatory laws and mechanisms and other countries are in the process of doing so. Considering the gravity of the issues involved, the regulatory turn in platform governance the world over, and pleas from publishing bodies, the Government of India needs to rise to the occasion and urgently address the issue of fair revenue sharing between big tech platforms and online news publishers.
Digital Platforms and News Businesses
Big tech digital conglomerates often share on their platforms news content that has been created and produced by news organisations that invested substantial financial resources in the process of doing so. As far as digital platforms are concerned more engagements translate to more profit. Hence, without bearing any cost, or by providing a small portion of the advertisement revenue generated, tech titans use the content of news businesses to keep more readers on their platforms. This helps them to collect data about these consumers which facilitates targeted behavioural advertising as well as market predictions and sales. This