Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Ambrey: Cameroon-flagged tanker issues distress call following explosion abroad, approximately 60NM south of Yemen's Ahwar.
Araghchi: Iran adopted a constructive approach in its engagement to ensure the European Union and the E3 fully honored their commitments and lifted all sanctions.
Araghchi: After a year of Iran’s full compliance with the agreement, it began implementing gradual, proportionate, and reversible compensatory steps in accordance with its recognized rights under the deal.
Araghchi: Iran demonstrated the utmost restraint in the face of repeated and fundamental violations and made extensive efforts to restore balance and preserve the agreement.
In his letter, Araghchi stated: The E3 failed to fulfill their obligations and instead imposed additional illegal sanctions on Iranian individuals and institutions.
Araghchi: These coercive measures constituted a grave violation of international law and the UN Charter, causing severe disruption in the implementation of the agreement.
Araghchi: Washington initially refrained from fulfilling its commitments, then withdrew from the agreement, reimposed its illegal and unilateral sanctions, and even expanded them.
Araghchi: UN Security Council Resolution 2231 has expired and fully ceased to be in effect as of today, in accordance with its explicit provisions.
Iranian Foreign Ministry: Reimposing sanctions on Iran is illegal
Occupied Palestine: Israeli occupation forces raid homes during a raid on the village of Al-Burj, south of al-Khalil

Google to pay €250m in France for not paying agencies for content use

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: News websites
  • 20 Mar 2024 15:59
4 Min Read

This case against Google was filed from complaints in 2019 from some of France's biggest news organizations representing local magazines and newspapers, in addition to news agency AFP.

  • x
  • The Google logo is seen at the Vivatech show in Paris in Paris, France, Wednesday, June 14, 2023. (AP)
    The Google logo is seen at the Vivatech show in Paris in Paris, France, Wednesday, June 14, 2023. (AP)

Google has been penalized with €250mln by France for a breach of agreement and not paying media companies for reproducing their content online.

France’s competition watchdog revealed that Google violated intellectual property rules related to news media publishers and stated that its AI-powered chatbot Bard – rebranded as Gemini – is trained on content from publishers and news agencies without notifying them.

In its statement, the watchdog said it was for “failing to respect commitments made in 2022” and accused Google of not negotiating in “good faith” with news publishers on how much to compensate them for content use. 

The watchdog added that Google pledged not to contest as part of the settlement.

Read next: Google interfered 41 times for past 16 years in US elections: Study

Recently, the EU established a form of copyright called “neighboring rights” to allow print media to demand compensation for Google and other online platforms using their content, as they make billions off of it without sharing the revenue.

In 2019, France was the first EU country to enact the directive on the publishing rights of media companies and news agencies, requiring large tech platforms to discuss with publishers seeking compensation. 

The newest case was filed from complaints in 2019 from some of France's biggest news organizations representing local magazines and newspapers, in addition to the news agency AFP.

Related News

Italian media demand probe into Google’s AI Overviews

Google hosts Israeli propaganda denying famine in Gaza

However, in 2022, French regulators agreed to take Google's word to negotiate with news organizations, but on the condition that it has to provide news groups with an offer of payment within three months of receiving a copyright complaint.

'Time to move on'

The watchdog relayed on Wednesday that Google violated terms relating to four out of seven commitments agreed in the 2022 settlement, including conducting negotiations in good faith and providing transparency.

“Subsequently, Google linked the use of the content concerned by its artificial intelligence service to the display of protected content,” the watchdog said, noting that this hindered the ability of publishers and press agencies to negotiate fair cost.

In response, Google said, “Google is the first and only platform to have signed a significant number of licensing agreements with 280 French news publishers under the European copyright directive. These cover more than 450 of their publications – and pay publishers tens of millions of euros a year.”

“Despite this progress, the French competition authority today imposed a €250m fine on Google for how we have conducted those negotiations. They also insisted on changes to how we negotiate, which we have agreed to as part of a settlement of a long-running case.”

Google expressed that it settled "because it’s time to move on and, as our many agreements with publishers show, we want to focus on the larger goal of sustainable approaches to connecting people with quality content and on working constructively with French publishers. But it’s important to note that the fine is not proportionate to issues raised by the French competition authority.” 

Read more: Google to settle $5bln lawsuit for stalking users' private activity

This is not Google's first run-in with the French authorities. Google and Facebook have been previously fined 110 million euros ($237 million) for their use of "cookies," the data used to track users online, back in 2022.

The 150-million-euro fine imposed on Google was a record for France's National Commission for Information Technology and Freedom (CNIL), surpassing the company's previous cookie-related fine of 100 million euros in December 2020.

  • Google
  • France
  • Media Outlets

Most Read

Iran strikes secret Israeli-US bunker under Tel Aviv high-rise

Tel Aviv high-rise struck by Iran hid Site 81, secret US-Israeli base

  • Politics
  • 14 Oct 2025
Palestinian journalist Saleh al-Jaafarawi in an undated image in Gaza, occupied Palestine (Social media)

Gaza Palestinian journalist Saleh al-Jafarawi killed by collaborators

  • Politics
  • 12 Oct 2025
drop site

New report details extensive Israeli arson in Gaza after ceasefire

  • Politics
  • 13 Oct 2025
Illustration of fists breaking shackles, representing the liberation of Palestinian detainees from Israeli prisons. (Illustrated by: AL Mayadeen English/Batoul Chamas)

4 prominent Palestinian detainees to be freed: Who are they?

  • Palestine
  • 13 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Residents remove debris from a house damaged by Wednesday's two drone strikes, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Afghanistan-Pakistan negotiations to begin in Doha: Exclusive

Palestine Action wins court fight to challenge UK terror ban
Politics

Palestine Action wins court fight to challenge UK 'terror' ban

John Bolton surrenders after classified documents indictment
Politics

John Bolton turns himself in after classified documents indictment

GSF, GMTG slams EU over complicity in Gaza genocide
Politics

GSF, GMTG slam EU over complicity in crimes against Palestinians

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS