News Publishers Are Fighting Big Tech Over Peanuts. They Could Be Owed Billions.

A bitter battle is taking place between Big Tech and the free press over how to share in the income that news content generates for technology giants. The future of our news ecosystem, a linchpin of democracy, depends on the outcome. Platforms gained their audience in part by sharing news content free. Now they are using their market power to force the press to continue to do business on their terms. Critics say that without government intervention, the deals tech companies strike allow them to determine which news outlets survive and could allow them to financially starve those that are critical of their business or political interests.