Google threatens to cut New Zealand news site links if it has to pay for news content

Oct. 4 (UPI) -- Google on Friday told New Zealand it will stop linking to news sites from the country if it passes a bill that would tax the search engine for using news content.

Google said in a statement that if the Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill becomes law it will "stop linking to news content on Google Search, Google News, or Discover surfaces in New Zealand and discontinue our current commercial agreements and ecosystem support with New Zealand news publishers."

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