But what’s prompting these nuclear options?
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg says Facebook’s news ban has shown the immense power of the “digital giants”. Picture: Getty Images
On the surface, it appears to be all about news content. But make no mistake, underlying these disputes is a battle about advertising revenue, the collection and use of consumer data and more broadly the ‘attention economy’ on which these platforms’ business model is based.
Last year, a Digital Platforms Inquiry conducted by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) signalled the beginnings of a regulatory implosion on tech giants and their immense market power.