France Orders Meta to Resume Negotiations Over Media Publishing Fees
Meta Platforms and French Media: Dispute Over Publishing Payments
Background of the Dispute
PARIS, July 8 (Reuters) - France's competition authority on Wednesday ordered Meta Platforms to resume talks with French media groups over payments for publishing content, after the publishers complained following the collapse of previous negotiations.
The case is one of a growing number between publishers and tech companies over the use of content published on social media or used for AI training that have triggered litigation.
Findings of the French Competition Authority
Abuse of Dominant Position
The French authority said it found the practices employed by Meta in its methods of calculating fees were likely to constitute an abuse of its dominant position, and it ordered the Facebook owner to put forward details of its payment plan within 15 days.
Neighbouring Rights in the European Union
In the European Union, "neighbouring rights" allow print media outlets to seek remuneration for the digital use of their content.
Previous Agreements and Current Stalemate
Expired Agreement
A previous agreement between Meta and press associations DVP and APIG, whose members include the newspapers Les Echos and Le Monde, expired in 2024 and the two sides have since failed to agree on the amount due, meaning the French media have received no payments.
Statements from the Antitrust Authority
Negotiation Process
"We are not dealing with a situation where there is a refusal to negotiate. Rather, the negotiation is taking place under conditions where there is a refusal to consider an alternative methodology or to share the data required for that alternative methodology," Benoit Coeure, president of the antitrust authority, told reporters.
Reporting Credits
(Reporting by Forrest Crellin and Dominique Vidalon, Editing by Dominique Patton and Barbara Lewis)
