Sydney
Google has urged YouTubers around the world to complain to Australian authorities as it ratchets up its campaign against a plan to force digital giants to pay for news content.
Alongside pop-ups warning “the way Aussies use Google is at risk”, which began appearing for Australian Google users on Monday, the tech titan also urged YouTube creators worldwide to complain to the nation’s consumer watchdog.
“The YouTube you know and love is at risk in Australia,” the company tweeted from its YouTube Creators account Monday, also encouraging those outside of Australia to email their concerns to the body behind the plan.
The landmark measures would include fines worth millions of dollars for non-compliance and would force transparency around the closely guarded algorithms which tech firms use to rank content.
YouTube’s boss in the region Gautam Anand, following a similar letter from the managing director of Google in Australia, wrote a message to the platform’s creators and artists.
“My primary focus is supporting you and your work to build a thriving creator ecosystem,” Anand said.—AP
