Google News Shuts Down In Spain Due To New Legislation

While many may think that Google has all of the internet power and dominates worldwide, that is not the case. The online empire’s news service has been shut down in Spain.

Available to more than 70 international editions and covering 35 languages, Google news no longer meets the guidelines of Spanish Law.

As posted on Google Europe Blog, They will “have to close Google News in Spain…This new legislation requires every Spanish publication to charge services like Google News for showing even the smallest snippet from their publications, whether they want to or not.”

The writer of the blog, Richard Gingras, Head of Google News continues to say, “As Google News itself makes no money (we do not show any advertising on the site) this new approach is simply not sustainable. So it’s with real sadness that on 16th December (before the new law comes into effect in January) we’ll remove Spanish publishers from Google News, and close Google News in Spain.”

If Google News can shut down in Spain, is this the start of major internet publication restrictions?