"Google Restricts Access to California News Outlets Amid Online Journalism Bill Dispute"

Google has temporarily blocked links from local news outlets in California from appearing in search results in response to a bill that would require tech companies to pay publications for links. The California Journalism Preservation Act (CJPA) would mandate large online platforms to pay a “journalism usage fee” for linking to news sites in the state. Google's move is an experiment in preparation for the bill potentially passing, and the company is also suspending further investments in the California news ecosystem. Meta, Facebook’s parent company, has also expressed opposition to similar legislation in Canada and Australia.