We Can Save Local News Without Upending Copyright Law
over the past few months, Public Knowledge has watched closely for developments about the Journalism Competition & Preservation Act (JCPA),
a legislative proposal to allow publishers to collectively bargain for payment from Google and Facebook for linking to news stories. Public Knowledge has a long history of advocacy for a vital and healthy free press, but we have significant concerns about the JCPA. (For the full description of our concerns about the JCPA, you can read this post. For a description of better policy proposals Public Knowledge has supported to help local journalism, read this one.)
First, the JCPA would expand the power of the hedge funds that have decimated local journalism by giving them special permission to form a cartel and charge internet users for linking to or sharing news content.
Then, it would mandate that Internet platforms carry and pay for even the most extreme and false content coming out of “news” organizations. Senator Ted Cruz openly brags about his JCPA amendment to prevent content moderation that would force platforms to carry content that amounts to hate speech.
Even worse, the JCPA imposes a link tax that forbids internet users from linking to or sharing news articles online, unless the platform they’re on pays news entities for the right to share their news stories. Posting a link is not only free today, but fundamental to the internet’s core. By making lies free and the truth cost even more to share, the JCPA would limit our access to credible news and information online.