Publishers will be able to set a limit on the number of articles people can read for free through Google using the First Click Free initiative
It means that content providers, such as newspaper publishers, will be able to restrict how many stories people are able to read online for free.
The move comes just weeks after Rupert Murdoch, chairman and chief executive of News Corporation, which owns newspapers such as the Sun and the Wall Street Journal, announced plans to start charging readers for accessing online content. Another newspaper publisher, Johnston Press, has also said it would start charging for some of its online content, including local newspapers such as the Yorkshire Post and The Scotsman.
Under the new Google initiative, publishers can join a special program, known as First Click Free, which allows Google to index content on the publisher's website but prevents users from reading other articles on that site without first registering or signing up to a subscription package. (Refer: Daily Telegraph)