The Australian government’s rebooted attempt to clip the ticket of the big US platforms that effectively siphon advertising revenue from Australian media companies will become a riveting game of chicken.

Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta, owner of Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram, who has been fighting contributing to Australian publishers’ coffers, in particular is likely to deploy any number of tactics to avoid paying local media companies for their news content.

Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg wines and dines with Donald Trump.Credit: Bloomberg

The social media giant reluctantly signed up to the first iteration of the government’s News Bargaining Code but refused to extend this into a second term - instead opting out last year.

Zuckerberg’s most obvious manoeuvre to combat the government’s now rebooted platform tax would be to go crying to US President Donald Trump, who has been a particularly strong supporter and protector of America’s Big Tech players against attempts by foreign governments to rein in their power.

Zuckerberg understands very well the leverage of being........

© The Sydney Morning Herald