Facebook has blocked news sites and sharing in Australia and New Zealand as those countries push to make platforms pay for news content.
By William Easton, MD of Facebook Australia & New Zealand, says the move is in response to Australia’s proposed new Media Bargaining law, and will restrict publishers and people in Australia from sharing or viewing Australian and international news content.
Facebook believes that the proposed law “fundamentally misunderstands” the relationship between our platform and publishers who use it to share news content. “It has left us facing a stark choice: attempt to comply with a law that ignores the realities of this relationship, or stop allowing news content on our services in Australia,” Easton says. “With a heavy heart, we are choosing the latter.”
According to Easton, people and news organisations in Australia are now restricted from posting news links and sharing or viewing Australian and international news content on Facebook.
Globally, posting and sharing news links from Australian publishers is also restricted.
“To do this, we are using a combination of technologies to restrict news content and we will have processes to review any content that was inadvertently removed,” he says.
For Australian publishers this means they are restricted from sharing or posting any content on Facebook Pages; and admins will still be able to access other features from their Facebook Page, including Page insights and Creator Studio. Facebook will continue to provide access to all other standard Facebook services, including data tools and CrowdTangle.
For international publishers it means they can continue to publish news content on Facebook, but links and posts can’t be viewed or shared by Australian audiences.
The Australian Facebook community now cannot view or share Australian or international news content on Facebook or content from Australian and international news Pages; and the international community cannot view or share Australian news content on Facebook or content from Australian news Pages.
Meanwhile, Google has signed deals to pay for journalism in Australia.
News Corp is the latest media outlet to strike a deal with Google, following Seven West Media signing with the search giant yesterday. Other outlets that are in negotiations with Google include Nine Entertainment and the Australian Broadcasting Corp.
News Corp has said it’s three-year agreement will see it receive payments in Australia, the UK and the US, with an ad revenue share as well.