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Google agreement statements

8 Sep 2020

Q. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is drafting code of conduct legislation to force technology platforms, like Google and Facebook, to pay media organisations for the news content they distribute.

In response Facebook has threatened to stop its users sharing news and Google has warned its free web search is at risk.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements?

  TOTAL: Agree TOTAL: Disagree Strongly agree Somewhat agree Neither agree, nor disagree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree
A strong media is essential to Australian democracy and the government is right to ask Google and Facebook to pay for news 49% 22% 23% 26% 29% 13% 9%
It is not up to Facebook and Google to support media companies 38% 26% 15% 23% 36% 15% 12%
Big tech companies like Google and Facebook should support Australian media rather than bullying the government 54% 17% 26% 28% 29% 11% 6%
Big technology companies like Google and Facebook have too much power and its time they were pulled into line 51% 19% 23% 27% 30% 12% 7%
If Facebook stopped offering news on its platform, I would use it less often 29% 35% 12% 18% 35% 19% 16%

 

  Total Age Group Frequency of news consumption on social media
TOTAL: AGREEMENT 18-34 35-54 55+ At least daily At least once a week Less than once a week Never
A strong media is essential to Australian democracy and the government is right to ask Google and Facebook to pay for news 49% 36% 49% 60% 51% 48% 42% 49%
It is not up to Facebook and Google to support media companies 38% 45% 39% 32% 42% 38% 31% 27%
Big tech companies like Google and Facebook should support Australian media rather than bullying the government 54% 38% 54% 66% 55% 55% 43% 60%
Big technology companies like Google and Facebook have too much power and its time they were pulled into line 51% 36% 53% 61% 51% 49% 43% 61%
If Facebook stopped offering news on its platform, I would use it less often 29% 35% 33% 21% 34% 30% 22% 16%
Base (n) 1,076 326 365 385 570 239 149 118

 

  Total Age Group Frequency of news consumption on social media
TOTAL: DISAGREEMENT 18-34 35-54 55+ At least daily At least once a week Less than once a week Never
A strong media is essential to Australian democracy and the government is right to ask Google and Facebook to pay for news 22% 30% 20% 17% 23% 21% 28% 15%
It is not up to Facebook and Google to support media companies 26% 22% 24% 33% 27% 23% 26% 30%
Big tech companies like Google and Facebook should support Australian media rather than bullying the government 17% 25% 16% 12% 20% 17% 17% 10%
Big technology companies like Google and Facebook have too much power and its time they were pulled into line 19% 27% 18% 14% 22% 16% 19% 11%
If Facebook stopped offering news on its platform, I would use it less often 35% 31% 34% 40% 35% 36% 31% 42%
Base (n) 1,076 326 365 385 570 239 149 118
  •  Around half of people agree that big technology companies like Google and Facebook have too much power (51%) and they should support Australian media rather than bullying the government (54%).
  • People aged 18-34 were more sympathetic to social media platforms and had the lowest agreement that government is right to ask Google and Facebook to pay for news (36%), they have too much power (36%).
  • 34% of daily social media users agree they would use the platform less frequently if it stopped offering news content.
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