South Africa has started a probe to gauge if artificial intelligence models, digital and social media platforms managed by companies including Alphabet Inc.’s Google and Meta Platforms Inc.’s Facebook are limiting the nation’s news and media companies’ ability to generate revenue.
Africa’s most-developed economy joins Canada, Europe and Australia looking to the feasibility of diverting some advertising revenue to the local media industry. The probe will be led by James Hodge , chief economist and acting deputy commissioner of the regulator. The probe will also involve understanding the digital markets in depth and whether there are remuneration models that are appropriate, Hodge said in response to Bloomberg’s questions.South Africa’s antitrust body has been clamping down on big tech and online platforms in recent investigations, including looking at Google’s dominance in the market.