France's competition authority, the Autorité de la concurrence, has ordered Meta to return to negotiations with French press organizations over copyright payments, warning that the company's stance has caused serious and immediate harm to the press sector. The interim measure, announced on [date], requires Meta to provide the necessary data for assessing payments within 15 days and to include all its services—not just Facebook—in the scope of discussions.
Neighbouring Rights at the Core of the Dispute
The conflict centers on neighbouring rights, a form of copyright-related protection established by the European Union's 2019 Copyright Directive. These rights allow press publishers and news agencies to demand compensation when online platforms reuse or display their content. France has been a key battleground for enforcing these rules, with both Google and Meta previously signing agreements with French press groups in 2021 and 2022.
However, Meta's deals with two major press organizations—the Alliance de la presse d'information générale (APIG) and the Fédération des éditeurs de la presse magazine (DVP)—expired in December 2024 and January 2025, respectively. Since then, Meta has continued to distribute press content on its platforms without compensating publishers, according to the regulator.
Regulator Criticizes Meta's Narrow Scope
The Autorité de la concurrence also took issue with Meta's decision to exclude most of its services, including Instagram and Threads, from the negotiations. The company had only agreed to discuss payments for press content shared by users on Facebook. The regulator argued that this approach could undermine France's neighbouring rights framework and weaken protections for news content.
The authority further stated that Meta's practices are likely to constitute an abuse of a dominant position, a charge that could lead to significant penalties if confirmed in a final ruling. The interim order does not settle the final amount Meta may have to pay, but it signals the regulator's determination to enforce the rules.
Broader Context: Tech Giants Under Scrutiny
This case is part of a wider European effort to ensure that major tech platforms compensate news publishers for using their content. In 2024, the Autorité de la concurrence fined Google €250 million for failing to comply with commitments related to neighbouring rights, including transparency obligations and the use of press content to train artificial intelligence tools without informing publishers.
News outlets argue that platforms like Meta benefit from displaying original journalistic content, which drives advertising revenue. The French regulator's actions reflect a growing push across Europe to hold tech companies accountable under the EU Copyright Directive.
For more on European regulatory actions, see our coverage of ECB orders Eurozone banks to fortify defenses against AI cyber threats and watchdog report on EU-backed chemical alliance.
The order against Meta is an interim measure, meaning it does not settle the final amount the company may have to pay. The regulator has given Meta 15 days to provide the information needed to assess payments, and the company must now resume talks with APIG and DVP members.
