Seven years ago, due to the change in local Spanish legislation, we had to say goodbye to Google News, the service of the technology giant that helped us collect and find news both current and on topics related to our searches and tastes more easily. Nevertheless, with the arrival of the Iceta Law, Google has announced that this service it will be reactivated during the next year.
As those responsible for Google explained in the publication of their official blog, «Google News will offer links to useful and relevant news, from a wide range of sources, to help Spaniards find more information about current affairs and delve into those stories«, With great emphasis on providing information from reliable news sources, with«a key tool in the fight against misinformation«.
“Extra extra!”
We are very excited to announce that Google News 🗞️ will be available again in Spain shortly ➡️ https://t.co/yO30BZvGRh pic.twitter.com/xHDuGM0E8V– Google Spain (@GoogleES) November 3, 2021
As we said, this reopening occurs after the change of the current Canon AEDE law, through which Google should have paid a small fee to the media to be able to use its contents within Google News, when using these links for your own benefit. Although the company always claimed that there was no financial reward from Google News, since this platform did not have any advertising.
However, some media and press agencies such as AFP or EFE launched a joint message in which justified this economic compensation: «These services have become the largest communication media in the world, but neither Facebook nor Google have a press roomThey do not have journalists in Syria risking their lives, nor an office in Zimbabwe investigating Mugabe’s departure, nor editors to check and verify the information that reporters send from the field.«.
However, the new Royal Decree approved today by the Spanish Government, known as the Iceta Law, establishes the European directive on copyright, allowing Google News to operate again in our country without the need to offer any type of of compensation to the media.
Thus, this continues to be good news for both media and consumers, with Google’s service assuming a strong impact on traffic by offering the most relevant news and sources.
