Mammoth Jones
Member
Not shocked at all Google doesn't make much money from their news aggregation service. It's just one small piece of building a comprehensive and robust ecosystem. Taxing it like it's their bread and butter is sillytttt
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Spanish newspapers push for Google News Tax, GNews exits Spain, media panic ensues
- Thread starter Funky Papa
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I remember reading when they started to pass this. Absolutely ridiculous. Germany too. UK banning face-sitting, Right to be forgotten, Spain and Germany news outlets shooting themselves in the foot. I swear there needs to be some sort of news label "EU doesn't understand the internet" because this has strangely become a thing as of late.
victreeb3l
Member
This is like some child like fantasy
GOOGLE YOU HAVE TO PAY US BUT PLEASE DONT SHUT DOWN OR ANYTHING PLZ BUT PAY US THO
Art Teitlebaum
Member
I'm really not a friend of Google's handling of authors' intellectual properties (especially of book authors), but the demands of Spanish and German news outlets reached the next step of ridiculousness
They wanted Google to pay for the headlines AND this should be mandatory??
Thank god the German publishers got their asses kicked for such a bullshit move.
I'd wish for the Spanish news environment that smaller independent sources now could get a foot in the door concerning their public reach. The network between government and some publishers can't be healthy for a democracy.
They wanted Google to pay for the headlines AND this should be mandatory??
Thank god the German publishers got their asses kicked for such a bullshit move.
I'd wish for the Spanish news environment that smaller independent sources now could get a foot in the door concerning their public reach. The network between government and some publishers can't be healthy for a democracy.
BobTheFork
Member
For fuck's sake....
This reads like insanity. Do they actually think they have any grounds for the gov. to FORCE Google news to stay open against the will of the main company?
Well, no they don't but it doesn't matter.
That's hilarious.
Vlodril
Member
yep. in general they were pretty angry about the hospital too that never opened. good people in spain though despite the troubles everyone was friendly , happyish.
as far as the thread goes i am amazed than there was no huge blowout by the removal of the editors. at least in international news , you would think such a muzzle of the press and collusion with the goverment would be news everywhere.
As far as the US, that's baby's first propaganda.
NotTheGuyYouKill
Member
Oh man, I'm in stitches over here. How moronic could they be?
Mr. Poolman
Member
Google will pay us millions just doing nothing!
Retarded Spanish Press: Google, pay us for linking us, or else
Google: I ain't linking you guys so I can keep my money
Spanish press: DAAAAD TELL GOOGLE TO LINK US!!!
Pathethic. Even more so when you consider how Google is able to dodge a huge amount of our taxes. Our goverment actually cares more for the press lobby than for its own self-interest. It is ridiculous.
Bu bu but the goverment can blend time and space just by enacting laws alone!!!
Seriously, people here have no idea or whatsoever of the effects and limitations of legislation, starting by our own freaking legislative body (aka the goverment) which is even more scary / facepalmworthy.
We have long accepted the collusion every single piece of our civil society with the goverment, all for the greater glory of our political caste. We didn't even blinked an eye when our politicians started to finger-appoint our public TV directors and to appoint theirselves as bank CEOs (Cajas), and we are in fact, clamoring for the repetition of some these disastrous policies (moar public banking, moar public media). So of course noone gave two craps when this happened, this is (sadly) business as usual.
Google: I ain't linking you guys so I can keep my money
Spanish press: DAAAAD TELL GOOGLE TO LINK US!!!
Pathethic. Even more so when you consider how Google is able to dodge a huge amount of our taxes. Our goverment actually cares more for the press lobby than for its own self-interest. It is ridiculous.
Bu bu but the goverment can blend time and space just by enacting laws alone!!!
Seriously, people here have no idea or whatsoever of the effects and limitations of legislation, starting by our own freaking legislative body (aka the goverment) which is even more scary / facepalmworthy.
We have long accepted the collusion every single piece of our civil society with the goverment, all for the greater glory of our political caste. We didn't even blinked an eye when our politicians started to finger-appoint our public TV directors and to appoint theirselves as bank CEOs (Cajas), and we are in fact, clamoring for the repetition of some these disastrous policies (moar public banking, moar public media). So of course noone gave two craps when this happened, this is (sadly) business as usual.
I think they thought "Google is mega rich, we're asking for a pittance, surely they will throw us some crumbs. We are proud Spain, an EU country of international renown, they would never walk away from Spain and its great people, it would be terrible PR for them."
The thing is they never detailed what the fees would be and how they would be paid, yet they are supposed to kick in January 1.
Funky Papa
FUNK-Y-PPA-4
I've worked in media for over a decade and have friends at some of the most important newspapers of the country. Watching this unravel has been quite a thing. I'm just glad I switched jobs some time ago and this going to leave me mostly unscathed. My former clients are going to get a right ass pounding, though. Fucking AEDE.
El País and El Mundo (and El Periódico, La Vanguardia, Heraldo...) have been reproducing AEDE communiqués pretty much straight to the presses, which is to say some very tepid, highly nebulous bitching about Google being a meany and content creators being hurting by it, but without going into details and generally hiding them in the culture section of their newspapers. It's ridiculous. They don't even want to talk in public about this.
As for recommendations, El Diario leads the charge, but I'm not fan of their political stance. I prefer Zoom News as far as non-AEDE outlets are concerned.
Spanish corporations and the Spanish administration (no matter if conservatives or socialist are in power) are so used to work together they don't realize that there's a entire world outside of their own little bubble, let alone one that works using different sets of rules. They are blindly arrogant, in the sense that they are accustomed to do as they please without getting a no for an answer. They believe that if a company operates in the nation they are already willing to bend the knee... unless they don't.
This has been a very loud, extremely embarrassing wake up call for both politicians and publishers. They just didn't see it coming.
It is not about promotion or even actual retribution. AEDE only wanted to get Google taxed so they could feed on its blood while the crisis goes away. They just made up some excuses to save face and that was it.
If only.
It is important to understand that Spanish journalism is intensely sectarian and bipartisan, just like our politics. El Mundo sells itself to the conservative crowd, while El Pais used to be the unofficial sheet of the socialist party. Then, there are a bunch of smaller outlets catering the regional branches of each party (El Correo, El Periódico) or the local nationalist groups (Deia, Avui).
El Mundo used to be a staunch supporter of the current administration, but president Rajoy is an unlikeable twat with more enemies you can count and his cabinet had a fallout with its Editor in Chief, who went rogue and decided to support one of Rajoy's internal adversaries by revealing a massive scandal that is endagering the very existence of the conservative party. As a result, he was abruptly replaced by a Yes Man who quickly stopped publishing any leaks related to the party's finances.
Something similar happened with El País, which was facing a long time crisis. With the socialist party going through a complete meltdown and hemorrhaging voters at record speed, its owners decided that it made little sense to keep their political allegiances and replaced the EiC with another Yes Man in order to get close to the same government they used to vilify.
There's no dignity among Spain's biggest newspapers.
I eagerly await a national PP+PSOE coalition. Just for fun.
They know they were running out of time and rushed the fuck out of the law in hopes to hardball Google later. That went well.
I think this article is pretty much on point:http://www.independent.co.uk/voices...dustry-in-spain-or-anywhere-else-9928417.html
Spain online news outlets have dropped out of the global news game too. ;/
Spain online news outlets have dropped out of the global news game too. ;/
Phrozenflame500
Member
So just to make sure I've got this covered: old industry wants to reap benefits of new industry without actually changing anything, loses both industries?
Well they were reaping the benefits already for free, but they also wanted to get paid for it too, let alone paying the new technology. Now it seems the new technology has pulled the free rug out from under the old technology and is offering to sell it back only to those willing to pay.
Funky Papa
FUNK-Y-PPA-4
They can't. AEDE is trying to get the government involved in some way, probably hoping they can mediate between Google and them and convince them to cut a favourable deal. Fat chance, I say. That ship sailed a long time ago.
They can't and they won't. Period. It would make zero sense. That idea is not even worth entertaining.
Rocket Scientist
Member
Crazy story. It feels like the European Union should investigate the corruption in Spain (and Italy) as it seems those two countries are being held back, in part, by these kinds of shady connections between politicians and companies. I'm sure there is some level of corruption everywhere, but I hope it's not unfair to say that the problems in Spain and Italy are of an especially worrying and destructive nature. Given the frailty of their economies, a functional democracy is of utmost importance. Thanks for the thread and write up. Nice work.
ROFL, Jesus Christ they aren't even hiding it.
Dreams-Visions
Member
sorry, Spain-GAF.
Suikoguy
I whinny my fervor lowly, for his length is not as great as those of the Hylian war stallions
In the US anyway; the only way I see it being possible is if Google News is both an essential service, and they have a monopoly. Neither of which apply.
Say for example, a local power company shut down in response to some proposed action. The government could force them to stay open, by threat of annexing the company or other means.
Which is why the "tax" in the first place was moronic.
Don't worry in the end the papers will get some special funds of the goverment and they will allow google news to link them again, probably saying thinks like "in the sake of freedom press" and other stupid things, that's like spain works (source: I'm spanish). If you don't believe me just google others cases like castor platform (plataforma castor) or little nicolas (el pequeño nicolas). This is what you get when you mix the same piliticians over the years just changing the color of the shirt they are wearing
Being something isn't a source, it's a credential. I hate this modern invention so much more than the whole literally-meaning-figuratively thing...
So it was basically
Google: Here's free money! (aka Clicks-Links to site.)
Spain: You'll have to pay to give us free money, bruv.
Google: lulz, no. Sorry but NOT happening! *leaves*
Spain: Oh no... What have we done?
Spain: Oh, I have an idea.
Spain: Sorry Google, you can't shut down your service in Spain.
Google: Too late.
Spain: Damn, now we're paying for what Google gave away for free. :/
?
Google: Here's free money! (aka Clicks-Links to site.)
Spain: You'll have to pay to give us free money, bruv.
Google: lulz, no. Sorry but NOT happening! *leaves*
Spain: Oh no... What have we done?
Spain: Oh, I have an idea.
Spain: Sorry Google, you can't shut down your service in Spain.
Google: Too late.
Spain: Damn, now we're paying for what Google gave away for free. :/
?
andthebeatgoeson
Junior Member
Ohh. I'm constantly using that during searches. With how shitty typical search is on any website, I have adapted to picking a topic and Google searching versus going to a news website and searching.
I call that GAFing.
Sickboy007
Member
I'm curious about this part:
I mean, how transparent was it?
I mean, how transparent was it?
I think the issue for a lot of people who get into blows with software companies like Google is the fact that generally, people see the internet and some of its major software platforms almost as utilities, or even mandatory infrastructure to their way of life.
The idea that these software companies could completely disappear overnight might be like the idea that someone could just shut off the water to them. What complicates things is how dependent we actually are on these services, take away Google and Facebook and a lot of people would be lost, event with alternatives.
The idea that these software companies could completely disappear overnight might be like the idea that someone could just shut off the water to them. What complicates things is how dependent we actually are on these services, take away Google and Facebook and a lot of people would be lost, event with alternatives.
D
Deleted member 59090
Unconfirmed Member
Whoa there's a thing called Google News.
Funky Papa
FUNK-Y-PPA-4
Spectacularly. El País was the Popular Party's worst nightmare and lately also critical with the monarchy, until its publisher replaced its Editor in Chief with a more conservative one. These days their tone is much more subdued. La Vanguardia replaced its EiC with a new one extremely close to our new king, ensuring "proper coverage" of the monarchy scandals. El Mundo's shake up was even worse. Its founder and EiC was sacked out of the blue after months of revelations that uncovered the biggest scandal in the history of the Popular Party. Right after he was replaced, the paper dropped its investigations into the so called "Barcenas papers".
A number of other journalists from those papers either resigned out of disgust or got a pink slip following their bosses' departure.
The situation was extremely clear. With newspapers dying and the government pressuring the media to quell any dissent, their publishers decided to drop their criticism and align with Madrid's positions in exchange for some measure that alleviated their finances. The Google Tax was one of those solutions, but not the only one.
It should be noted that the Google Tax was passed along the new Gag Law, which is carefully designed to strangle freedom of expression and punish any party willing to demonstrate against the government.
tarzanpuyol
Member
been reading spanish newspapers since the 80s, this is not a surprise, the media culture in spain is very archaic and powerful. El pais, la vanguardia, mundo all shades of the same color.
Wiktor
Member
AFAIF in Germany the laws gave websites just an option to charge. Which made sense. Here it was supposed to be mandatory
I don't know about most countries, but here in Spain politicians are from a different breed. A breed of corrupt, power hungry, good-for-nothing (seriously, they can't do nothing, if they weren't politicians they would be all homeless) ass-licking autocrats who talk in a very well mannered way but are full of dog shit. All of them, no exception, no saving grace.
For example, just the other day one of the most powerful people of the Popular Party and a general cunt, Mª Dolores de Cospedal, just said, with a straight face, that if there is corruption inside their party was because the society in general is corrupt. And a week ago she said that before all these cases exploded in their faces there was the same or more corruption in the country (some 10-15 years ago). Soooo if there was more, and you knew it, why didn't you dennounce it? Are you all stupid or ignorant? Hint: both.
Well, things like this happen on a daily basis and people just don't react. All the things these bastards did and are doing are life in jail worthy at the least, but they will have golden retirements and nobody will care. We live in a shitty country full of people who are either oblivious or selfish, and these rotten politicians will still rule us. Serves us right I say.
For example, just the other day one of the most powerful people of the Popular Party and a general cunt, Mª Dolores de Cospedal, just said, with a straight face, that if there is corruption inside their party was because the society in general is corrupt. And a week ago she said that before all these cases exploded in their faces there was the same or more corruption in the country (some 10-15 years ago). Soooo if there was more, and you knew it, why didn't you dennounce it? Are you all stupid or ignorant? Hint: both.
Well, things like this happen on a daily basis and people just don't react. All the things these bastards did and are doing are life in jail worthy at the least, but they will have golden retirements and nobody will care. We live in a shitty country full of people who are either oblivious or selfish, and these rotten politicians will still rule us. Serves us right I say.
Funky Papa
FUNK-Y-PPA-4
It's a national law, so every law agency in the country will enforce it, from national police to local units.
Some already have done so indirectly by buying adwords on google.
Not really. The result of the law is that google is now the only search engine where newspaper articles are displayed.
All the smaller engines still have to pay the newspapers to display articles.
So, a law that was supposed to limit googles power now effectively gives google a competitive advantage .
The german publishers were just as greedy/shady and dumb as their spanisch counterparts.
CadetMahoney
Member
So it's done now, google news Spain has closed right?
good. Hope the publishers can shut up now like it's just happened.
good. Hope the publishers can shut up now like it's just happened.
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