Meta has doubled down on its opposition to the News Bargaining Incentive, releasing additional statements calling the legislation a discriminatory tax.
The company said the government's case rests on the false principle that digital platforms extract value from news publishers without fair return.
"It is broader than digital services taxes, as it is applied on the widest possible revenue base and with no credible connection to news.
"News organisations voluntarily share content, free of charge, on Meta's platforms because they derive real commercial benefits: referral traffic, audience growth and subsequent advertising revenue they retain in full.
"It will leave Australian journalism dependent on a government-administered subsidy regime while doing little to help smaller publishers and independent journalists."
Man of Many and Country Press echoed similar sentiments in their statements on the NBI, urging governments to provide financial support to all publishers, especially independents.
Yet, Meta remained opposed to making any financial contributions.
"Our position is clear: this law is poorly designed, grossly unfair, and will fail to deliver a diverse and sustainable news industry," the statement read.
"This is not a plan to save journalism. It is a tax on innovation dressed up as media policy."
Meta referred to a 2023 NERA Economic Consulting study that found publishers received "considerable economic benefits" from their presence on Facebook, and pointed to its experience in Canada, where it said removing news from Facebook led to increased daily and monthly active users and continued growth in time spent on the platform.
"Before we ended Facebook News in Australia in April 2024, daily active users of the product had already dropped more than 80%, a clear signal of where audience preferences had shifted.
“People come to our platforms for connection, entertainment, and creator content, not to click on news articles."
Meta said the NBI would undercut Australian journalism's need to evolve.
"Dependency is not a plan for journalism.
"A sustainable news ecosystem requires publishers to innovate and adapt to changing consumer behaviour.
"The NBI does the opposite: it insulates publishers from the competitive pressure to evolve by guaranteeing revenue regardless of whether they build sustainable business models. This entrenches dependency at the very moment when adaptation matters most."
The statement said that the legislation was unjust.
"It is discriminatory, economically incoherent, and will not deliver the sustainable news sector that Australian journalists and audiences deserve.
"We encourage any government considering a similar approach to look carefully at what this model actually represents. A strong, independent media cannot be built on punitive taxes, levied on foreign companies, with no connection to the value exchanged."
Meta also warned the NBI could strain Australia's relationship with the US, noting similar levies attempts by other countries had prompted United States trade action.
AdNews received correspondence from the White House confirming as much.
"As the White House has stated: President Trump is committed to defending America's leading technology sector from digital services taxes and other forms of foreign extortion," a White House spokesperson told AdNews.
"The Trump administration will continue to address these issues with our trading partners."
Daniel Mulino, assistant treasurer and minister for financial services, spoke to AdNews, saying the government's intent was not to raise revenue but to encourage commercial deals.
"The Albanese Government is committed to ensuring Australian journalism is sustainable now and into the future.
"We want digital platforms and news publishers to do commercial deals, and the News Bargaining Incentive is designed to encourage that.
"It is not intended to raise revenue."
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