JOHANNESBURG — Google will provide more than $40 million in support to South African news organisations, many of which are struggling to survive in the digital era, the country’s Competition Commission announced on Thursday.
Global tech platforms such as TikTok, X, and Facebook have faced increasing scrutiny over anti-competitive practices that regulators say undermine local media by restricting their ability to distribute and monetise their content online.
Earlier this year, following a 16-month inquiry, the Competition Commission recommended that Google pay up to $27 million annually for five years after determining that its search engine prioritised international publishers over South African outlets. Instead, the company has agreed to a 688-million-rand ($40.4 million) funding package, the commission said in its final report.
Under the agreement, $4 million will be directed to national publishers and broadcasters over five years for content appearing on Google News. An additional $2.6 million per year will fund AI-driven innovation projects, while community and small-scale media outlets will receive $2.2 million over three years to help fast-track digital transformation.
The commission said Google will also roll out new user tools to elevate local news sources, offer technical support to improve website performance, and share deeper audience insights. YouTube, meanwhile, has agreed to enhance monetisation opportunities for local publishers. The platforms have further committed to eliminating algorithmic bias that currently favours foreign media.
Similar agreements have been implemented in Taiwan, Canada, Australia, and the United States amid growing global pressure for regulation compelling tech companies to compensate news organisations.
TikTok has also agreed to introduce new features, including allowing publishers to insert links in videos to generate revenue from external content. However, X—owned by South African-born billionaire Elon Musk—did not reach a settlement. The platform has now been ordered to open all monetisation programmes to local media and conduct training workshops, though the directive remains open to appeal.
