Google removes links to news websites for some users in California

Google removed California news websites from some users' search results as a warning against state legislature legislation mandating media companies compensate for links to their material.

In an experiment that served as a warning should the state legislature enact legislation mandating that the search engine giant compensate media companies for links to their material, Google started eliminating California news websites from some users' search results on Friday. In a blog post on Friday, Google made the announcement, describing the action as a temporary test for a small subset of users to gauge how the legislation will affect their product experience. The business announced that it would also put a stop to further investments in the California news sector, including its product licensing program and collaboration initiative with news organizations.

A plan that would force internet behemoths like Google, Facebook, and Microsoft to give media firms a portion of their advertising revenue in exchange for links to their content is being considered by the California Legislature. A three-judge panel would determine the corporations' required payments through an arbitration process. The initiative seeks to halt the sharp decline in journalism employment, which has been happening quickly as traditional media organizations have found it difficult to turn a profit in the digital era. Since 2005, over 2,500 newspapers in the US have closed, with California losing over a hundred news companies over a decade ago, according to Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.