Google has complained that Microsoft is “drawing attention” to favoring governments that are trying to force technical platforms to pay media organizations for news content.
Google and Facebook have opposed mandatory payments, while Microsoft has taken a more cooperative stance.
In a blog post Friday, Google argued that Microsoft was trying to divert attention from a potentially devastating attack on Exchange email servers by hackers taking advantage of software vulnerabilities.
The comments came amid a battle full of words about efforts in Australia and elsewhere to ask digital services to negotiate payments for news content.
Microsoft president Brad Smith, in a letter to a conference subcommittee hearing, blamed Google’s business model for “devouring” advertising revenue that news organizations rely on.
Kent Walker, vice president of global affairs, fired back in the blog post, saying, “[Microsoft is] now making self-service claims and are even willing to break as the open web works in an effort to eliminate a competitor. ”
Walker said, “This important debate should be about the essence of the case, and not ruined by naked physical opportunities.”
In his letter, Smith praised the role of news organizations in defending democracy and said that “the internet was cracking down on the existing local news industry. sick of wasting advertising revenue and attracting paid subscribers. “
Microsoft has lobbied for other countries to follow Australia’s lead in demanding that news outlets be paid for stories published online, a move opposed by Facebook and Google.
Google and Facebook supporters have said that mandatory payments for news links would fundamentally change the way the internet works and ultimately harm free online services .