Google has agreed to pay more than $40 million to support South African news media after a competition investigation found its search engine favored international outlets over local ones.
The South African Competition Commission, which led a 16-month investigation, said the settlement includes 688 million rand ($40.4 million) in total. This covers funding for national publishers and broadcasters on Google News, support for smaller outlets’ digital transformation, and investments in AI innovation.
“The remedies aim to level the playing field for local media and ensure fair visibility in digital search results,” the Commission said in a statement.
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Google will also introduce tools for users to prioritize local news, provide technical support to improve website performance, and share audience data with publishers. YouTube will assist local publishers with monetization and work to remove algorithmic bias that favored foreign outlets.
Other tech companies are taking similar steps. TikTok will enable publishers to link videos to monetized off-platform content, while Microsoft will extend MSN news contracts to more national publishers. Meta Platforms, owner of Facebook, will open a media liaison office and expand monetization access.
Social media platform X, owned by South African-born Elon Musk, did not reach a settlement. The regulator ordered the company to make all monetization programs available locally and provide training workshops for media organizations.
“These agreements reflect global efforts to protect local news revenue and representation,” the Commission added, citing similar initiatives in Australia, Canada, Taiwan, and the United States.