Australia Government Facebook ban – Social media giants, Facebook have come under increased backlash from the Australian government who accused them of bullying.
Facebook has blocked Australian users from reading and sharing local and international news. This is in reaction to the Australian government plans to force Facebook to pay publishers for their news content.
According to Facebook, “The proposed law fundamentally misunderstands the relationship between our platform and publishers who use it to share news content,” Facebook said in a blog post announcing the move.
The Australian government had announced plans to get technology companies, like Facebook and Google, to pay for the news that is widely shared on their sites, as the advertising revenue that once supported publishers evaporates. The law if enacted would force Facebook and others to strike deals with media companies or have fees set for them.
The ban from Facebook block news content from Australia government and emergency response pages, including health authorities, fire services and the police.
Australia Treasurer Josh Frydenberg in condemning the ban said, “Facebook’s actions were unnecessary, they were heavy-handed, and they will damage its reputation here in Australia.”