France Authority Fines Google $270M Over Misuse of News Publishers' Data for AI Training

In an ongoing dispute between Google and France's authority regarding copyright protections for news content, the Autorité de la Concurrence has imposed a €250 million fine (approximately $270 million) on the tech giant. The fine stems from Google's alleged misuse of news publishers' content to train its generative AI model, Gemini, according to a report by TechCrunch.

The authority accuses Google of violating its previous commitments with news publishers by using their copyrighted content for AI training without notifying them. This action is the authority's efforts to ensure fair compensation and transparency in dealings between tech platforms and publishers.

The backdrop to this conflict includes the EU's 2019 digital copyright reform, which extended copyright protections to news headlines and snippets. Google's initial response was to shut down Google News in France, prompting intervention from the competition authority. Despite reaching agreements with local publishers, Google faced criticism and hefty fines for alleged breaches and unfair practices.

The recent fine reflects the authority's scrutiny of Google's handling of news content and its failure to fulfill obligations regarding transparency and fair remuneration. The authority's decision emphasizes the need for tech companies to respect copyright laws and ensure equitable treatment of publishers.

Google, while agreeing not to contest the fine, has expressed dissatisfaction with the decision, labeling it disproportionate. The company's managing director for news and publishing partnerships emphasized a desire to move forward and focus on sustainable approaches to content distribution.