undefined | Better HN

0 pointscoldpie2y ago0 comments

Generally the problem is not the link itself, it's the headline and any included blurb/summary/image from the article. The problem being that users see & gain the content solely when viewed from the link aggregator, without ever actually visiting the originating website and participating in its monetization methods. A bare "http://..." URL probably would not have raised the same objections, but also no one would actually use a link aggregator that is just bare URLs.

Both sides have a point here. I'm not sure where I end up on the issue myself.

0 comments

randomdata2y ago

> it's the headline and any included blurb/summary/image from the article.

Why would that be a problem? Open Graph was created by Meta exactly so that these news sites have editorial control over those details. And the Canadian news outlets have adopted Open Graph, so that is not an issue. If they don't like what is shown, they have full control to change it. The headline/blurb/image you see is what they have specified. That is what they want you to see.

The real problem is that reporting the news doesn't pay very well anymore and certain news players were on the hunt for a government subsidy to offset that reality.

coldpieOP2y ago

> If they don't like what is shown, they have full control to change it.

Sure, and then some other news agency that does include more content in their metadata will be shared in the aggregator instead, because it will at least bring in a little revenue. It's a race to the bottom, and the outcome for the original reporter is the same: no payment for their work.

> The real problem is that reporting the news doesn't pay very well anymore

Well, yeah! That is the problem! Google is getting the money that used to go to the news agencies. This is one attempt at a fix.

randomdata2y ago

> and the outcome for the original reporter is the same: no payment for their work.

What provisions are in this bill to ensure that the money ends up in the reporters' hands, and not the media agencies' hands? Without that then you still have the exact same "race to the bottom" scenario – with the reporter seeing no payment for their work.

What provisions are in this bill to ensure that the reporters are able to create their own brand to break free of the media agencies? If the intent is to see Google/Meta drive the traffic and also pay the reporters, the middleman agency serves no purpose.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

0 pointscoldpie2y ago0 comments

Both sides have a point here. I'm not sure where I end up on the issue myself.

0 comments

randomdata2y ago

> it's the headline and any included blurb/summary/image from the article.

The real problem is that reporting the news doesn't pay very well anymore and certain news players were on the hunt for a government subsidy to offset that reality.

coldpieOP2y ago

> If they don't like what is shown, they have full control to change it.

> The real problem is that reporting the news doesn't pay very well anymore

Well, yeah! That is the problem! Google is getting the money that used to go to the news agencies. This is one attempt at a fix.

randomdata2y ago

> and the outcome for the original reporter is the same: no payment for their work.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse