Facebook blocks news articles in Australia since it blasts proposed law
18 February, 2021
Facebook has blocked media reviews from its feed found in Australia, drawing a brand against a proposed law that would want it and Google to shell out news publishers for content material.
Starting on Wednesday, Australian users cannot read or share media content on Facebook feeds, and Australian publishers happen to be restricted from posting or sharing content on Facebook pages.
The move, announced in a blog page post on Wednesday, is a new response among tech giants under attack by news publishers, that have blamed them for destroying their advertising business.
The Australian government has said it plans to place the legislation, which effectively forces Google and Facebook to strike handles mass media companies or have costs set, to a vote in coming weeks.
"If it is not already clear, Facebook is not appropriate for democracy," David Cicilline, the chairman of the US House of Representatives' powerful subcommittee over antitrust, professional and administrative rules, said, following Facebook's maneuver.
"Threatening to bring a whole nation to its knees to consent to Facebook's terms is the ultimate entrance of monopoly power."
Google as well threatened to turn off its search engine in the country in order to avoid "unworkable" content laws, even while it has secured handles publishers in the UK, Germany, France, Brazil and Argentina for its Google News Showcase merchandise.
On Wednesday, Google reached a landmark global manage Rupert Murdoch's News Corp, owner of The Wall structure Street Journal and several thirds of Australia's key city newspapers, to build up a subscription program and share advertising revenue.
Facebook said the planned legislation "fundamentally misunderstands" the partnership between itself and publishers.
It said information outlets voluntarily posted their document links on Facebook, which helped Australian publishers to earn about A$407 million ($315.5m) found in 2020 through referrals.
Emily Bell, director of the Tow Center for Digital Journalism in Columbia Journalism University, tweeted about Wednesday that the partnership had not been as voluntary since it seemed, & most publishers felt obliged to be about Facebook due to its dominance.
Facebook, which has always been criticised for allowing misinformation on its platforms, is now in the peculiar position of also blocking the news headlines media that provided truth checks on false articles.
Source: www.thenationalnews.com