Google threatens to shut down search in Australia if digital news code goe ahead | Hacker News Reader

Google threatens to shut down search in Australia if digital news code goe ahead

theguardian.com

I really hope they do - because people no matter what, 40 million people will immediately learn how to use a different search engine, and irrespective of how they like the results, the fact is the 'mono consciousness' will have been broken and baseline behavioural patterns will have been established.

Yeah as a user it would be really interesting if this happens.

Less news in Facebook? Great, I may actually see what is happening in my friends life.

No more Google Search? Even better, the market will be open to a real alternative.

Will other search engines not be subject to the same ridiculous legislation?

Yes, but that's besides the point.

40M Aussies will 'discover' very materially how to use all those other search engines.

Also - I think this is an interesting experiment in news and power.

Google should be very, very afraid that governments are taking major steps because other governments will follow suit.

If it's a massive payday for Aussie news outlets, you can be 100% assured that every other nation will follow suit.

Honestly it may help solve the 'news' problem.

Maybe not, but it's worth a try.

Will a site like HackerNews not be subject to the same ridiculous legislation?

No because HN it not including content.

Not necessarily, the law is written so that it can be targeted against only specific search engines.

Australians lose access to Google search, and the newspapers don't make a dime. Sounds like an awfully dumb law to me.

I’m not convinced it would be a great loss, and the natural experiment would be very interesting!

Google loses access to what Australians search for, Australians lose nothing of value.

Exactly this, which is why it is an empty threat!

Hot take, and I like it but there are only 25 million of us.

Am I being thick or does Google only display headlines, a brief description and an image - then if you click the link your directed to the newspaper's own site, which in turn contains their ads for which they receive revenue?

Me too. I do not understand

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