Facebook made a $300 million pledge to help journalists — just like Google did last year

Facebook says it is going to spend $300 million over the next three years to support journalism. Does that sound familiar? Here’s why: Ten months ago, Google said it was going to spend $300 million over three years to support journalism. Facebook says it’s just a coincidence that it landed on the same dollar amount that its primary competitor landed on last year. But I’m not complaining. In part because I want Google and Facebook to spend money supporting journalism. And also because it means I don’t have to rewrite this piece, from March 2018: “Google and Facebook can’t help publishers because they’re built to defeat publishers.”