Tech Brief: Facebook Threatens to Block News From its Platforms in Australia
Facebook has warned it will block Australian users and news organisations from sharing news stories on Facebook and Instagram in response to a landmark proposal (dubbed "News Media Bargaining Code") that mandates big tech companies like Facebook and Google to pay publishers when their stories are posted on the social network and show up in search results.
The move comes weeks after Google urged the regulation could "threaten free Search and YouTube results" in a development that could add to internet silos and digital fences being erected around the world.
This is not the first time a country has pushed the internet giants to pay media groups for carrying their content. In 2014, Spain passed a law requiring publishers to charge Google for headlines of their stories appearing on Google News. The company responded by shutting down Google News from Spain and removing Spanish publishers from the service.
Update on Sept. 2: Facebook has officially updated its terms of service globally, effective Oct. 1, that allows it to block or remove content amid proposed Australian law that would force it to pay for news. "We also can remove or restrict access to your content, services or information if we determine that doing so is reasonably necessary to avoid or mitigate adverse legal or regulatory impacts to Facebook," the company said in a notification to users.
The move comes weeks after Google urged the regulation could "threaten free Search and YouTube results" in a development that could add to internet silos and digital fences being erected around the world.
This is not the first time a country has pushed the internet giants to pay media groups for carrying their content. In 2014, Spain passed a law requiring publishers to charge Google for headlines of their stories appearing on Google News. The company responded by shutting down Google News from Spain and removing Spanish publishers from the service.
Update on Sept. 2: Facebook has officially updated its terms of service globally, effective Oct. 1, that allows it to block or remove content amid proposed Australian law that would force it to pay for news. "We also can remove or restrict access to your content, services or information if we determine that doing so is reasonably necessary to avoid or mitigate adverse legal or regulatory impacts to Facebook," the company said in a notification to users.
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