Johannesburg, South Africa — November 13, 2025: Google has agreed to pay more than $40 million to support struggling South African news outlets, the country’s Competition Commission announced Thursday.
The funding is part of a broader effort to address concerns that tech giants, including Google, Facebook, X, and TikTok, limit local media’s ability to distribute and profit from digital content.
Background: Competition Concerns
In February, the Competition Commission recommended that Google pay up to $27 million per year for five years, following a 16-month investigation. The probe found that Google searches often prioritized international news sources over local outlets, disadvantaging South African media.
After negotiations, Google agreed to a 688 million-rand ($40.4 million) package, according to the final report.
How the Funds Will Be Distributed
- National publishers and broadcasters: $4 million over five years for content featured on Google News.
- AI innovation support: $2.6 million annually.
- Community and small media outlets: $2.2 million over three years for digital transformation projects.
The commission said Google will also:
- Introduce tools to prioritize local news sources.
- Provide technical assistance to improve website performance.
- Share enhanced audience data.
- Support monetization on YouTube.
Additionally, Google has committed to removing algorithmic bias that favored foreign news outlets.
Global Context
Similar funding agreements have been reached in Taiwan, Canada, Australia, and the United States amid rising pressure on tech companies to support local media and comply with government regulations.
TikTok has pledged to offer tools allowing media outlets to monetize content off-platform, including links within videos.
Meanwhile, X (formerly Twitter), owned by South African-born billionaire Elon Musk, did not reach a settlement. The platform has been ordered to make all monetization programs available to local publishers and provide training workshops, with the option to appeal the directive.
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