Facebook announced that it will prohibit publishers and readers in Australia from posting or viewing local and international news content on the platform in response to a new law Australia plans to adopt. The law called the News Media Bargaining Code will force digital companies to pay publishers for news. According to tech giants, it will disrupt the Internet.
Australian authorities want tech giants like Facebook and Google to pay for local publishers and broadcasters' content. In a statement, Facebook said the proposed law "fundamentally misunderstands the relationship between our platform and publishers."
Kay Lee
From now on, Australian users will not be able to read or share international and local news as well as post and share links containing news content on Facebook. Facebook users worldwide also will not be able to share news from Australian publications.
The social media giant explained that they would use special technologies to limit content. Also, Facebook added that news makes up less than 4% of what its users read or watch on the platform.
“For Facebook, the business gain from news is minimal. News makes up less than 4% of the content people see in their News Feed. Journalism is important to a democratic society, which is why we build dedicated, free tools to support news organisations around the world in innovating their content for online audiences,” reads the company's statement.
Earlier in January, Google threatened to shut down its search engine in Australia if authorities pass legislation to pay local publishers for content. At a hearing in Australia’s Senate Committee, Managing Director of Google Australia and New Zealand, Mel Silva, said that the company will not be able to work in the country in such conditions.
