Archive · 3 Aug 2026
Australia Raises Tech Levy to 2.5% for Local News Deals
Australia has decided to make big tech companies like Meta, Google, and TikTok pay more money if they don't make deals with local news outlets.
The new rule says they will pay a fee of 2.5% of the money they earn from ads.
This fee only counts the money from ads, not all the money the companies make.
The rule only applies to companies that have a big social media or search service in Australia and make more than A$250 million locally.
The goal is to help Australian news companies get paid for the news that appears on these platforms.
Australian government raised the planned News Bargaining Incentive levy to 2.5% from 2.25%.
The levy will be calculated only from a tech company’s advertising revenue, not its total revenue.
It applies to companies with a significant social media or search service in Australia and local revenue over A$250 million.
Affected firms include Meta, Google, and TikTok.
The levy aims to compel these tech giants to strike commercial deals with local media outlets for news content.
- Who
- Australian government
- What
- Increased the planned News Bargaining Incentive levy for tech giants
- When
- Monday
- Where
- Australia
- Why
- To force tech companies to pay for local news content
- Levy rate
- 2.5%
- Previous rate
- 2.25%
- Revenue basis
- Advertising revenue only
- Revenue threshold
- A$250 million
- Affected companies
- Meta, Google, TikTok
- Purpose
- Compel commercial deals with local media