https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/pkdxbk/australia-wants-facebook-and-google-to-pay-for-news-the-us-is-trying-to-stop-it > In a letter sent to Australian lawmakers, United States trade representatives have accused Australia of flouting free trade agreements over its plans to force Google and Facebook to pay Australian news outlets for hosting their content. > “As set forth in these comments, the U.S. Government is concerned that an attempt, through legislation, to regulate the competitive positions of specific players in a fast-evolving digital market, to the clear detriment of two U.S. firms, may result in harmful outcomes,” representatives Daniel Bahar and Karl Ehlers write in their letter to the Australian Senate Committee on Economics. “There may also be long-lasting negative consequences for U.S. and Australian firms, as well as Australian consumers.”