Google has stated it will cease linking to New Zealand news content and promotion of local outlets if the government implements legislation to make big tech platforms pay for the content displayed on their apps. It is a familiar theme, following the examples in recent years in Australia and Canada, but it remains to be seen if the outcome will be different in NZ. In July, the government made a surprise announcement to continue the work of the previous administration to deliver a bill to make the tech companies pay for the news they show, effectively sharing revenue driven from content produced by other companies. The intrigue on the government call is because it represents a change of tack.