The future of US online news could be stifled by proposals put forward by the Federal Trade Commission to protect journalism, Google has warned.

In its 20-page response to the FTC's discussion draft, the search giant argues that the proposals, far from working towards a sustainable future for the future of news and online journalism, "not only hurt free expression, but also the very profession of journalism".

"Innovating to create products and services that consumers want to pay for is the only way to guarantee long-term subscription revenue growth, and none of the policy proposals are designed to foster that kind of innovation," it says.

The FTC began examining the impact of the internet on journalism in May 2009, hosting discussions with publishing executives, professors and internet companies. It issued its 47-page draft report for discussion a year later. Final recommendations are likely to follow.

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