California has reportedly pressured search engine company Google into a deal that would funnel millions in taxpayer and private funds to local media outlets, mirroring actions on the part of other governments to compel Big Tech companies to fund newsrooms.
The Golden State’s move is similar to how other countries, such as Canada, have imposed measures ostensibly aimed at keeping a floundering journalism industry afloat. However, this latest form of government meddling will only create more problems than it solves.
One of the more controversial elements of the deal is that it earmarks funding for artificial intelligence, a technology that has raised fears among journalists that it might leave them out of jobs.
Under the deal, the details of which were first reported by POLITICO on Monday, Google and the state of California would jointly contribute money over five years to support local…
