Google says 'not up to us' to dictate how news companies spend its $1 billion

FILE PHOTO: The Google name is displayed outside the company's office in London, Britain, November 1, 2018. REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo

(Reuters) - Alphabet Inc's Google has reached licensing deals with over 600 news outlets around the world and is seeing a "huge increase" in users requesting more content from specific publications as part of a new program, it said on Wednesday.

The update comes as big internet service providers including Facebook Inc have been locked in bitter disputes over fair compensation to publishers.