Public debate is a crucial component of democratic systems. Due to digitalisation, public debate now takes place increasingly online. The content offered by search engines, social media and multimedia platforms is largely based on journalistic works by traditional publishing media. As such text and image previews (‘snippets’) are very short, they are not currently protected by copyright law. As a result, media companies and journalists do not at present receive any remuneration from online service providers that use their works. 

The draft law proposes that large online service providers should be required to remunerate media companies for the use of snippets. Journalists are to be paid an appropriate share of this remuneration. Only online service provid-ers with an average annual number of users amounting to at least ten per cent of the Swiss population will be obliged to pay remuneration. A collective rights management organisation will manage the rights to media content collectively. 

The proposed implementation was welcomed in the consultation in general, but in the substance of the matter the introduction of a related right for media companies is controversial.

The use of AI in the media sector is not addressed in this draft law. It is the subject of the Gössi motion ‘Better protection of intellectual property against AI misuse’, which the Federal Council has recommended for approval. 

• Federal Council media release of 20 June 2025
• More information on related rights for the media