Facebook blocks users from sharing news in Australia – CNET [CNET]

Facebook started restricting users from viewing or sharing Australian news on Wednesday, because of a proposed law in the country that would require the social network to pay news publishers for content. 

Called the News Media Bargaining Code, the legislation also affects Google, which surfaces news articles in search results. News outlets have struggled to compete with tech firms for advertising dollars and say they should be compensated for articles shown on online platforms such as Facebook and Google. Facebook’s decision also underscores the tensions between the social media giant and governments that are trying to regulate the tech industry. Facebook’s move comes after Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. signed a landmark deal with Google so the media outlet gets paid for news content.

Facebook said it made a different decision than Google because the business benefits of displaying news on its platform are “minimal,” noting that news makes up less than 4% of the content people see in their News Feed. 

“Google Search is inextricably intertwined with news and publishers do not voluntarily provide their content. On the other hand, publishers willingly choose to post news on Facebook, as it allows them to sell more subscriptions, grow their audiences and increase advertising revenue,” William Easton, managing director of Facebook Australia and New Zealand, said in a blog post. 

The social network, which has been combating misinformation, has also been reducing the amount of political content users see on Facebook.

Facebook said Australian users will be blocked from sharing Australian or international news content on the social network. International publishers will be able to post news content, but links and posts can’t be shared by an Australian audience. Australian publishers aren’t allowed to share or post content on Facebook Pages. 

The new restrictions are already rolling out. Some users who visit an Australian news outlet’s Facebook Page no longer see any articles displayed. Australian users who try to share news are seeing a notice that states the social network is restricting posting and sharing news in response to Australian government legislation. 

Facebook didn’t specify how it’s defining a news publisher but government organizations and other sites on the platform were also impacted by the restrictions. Sally McManus, secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, said in a tweet that the website for Australian Unions have also been blocked from the platform. 

“We are not a news organisation. Australian workers can not now find out about their rights at work via @Facebook. This is disgraceful & needs to be reversed immediately,” McManus tweeted. 

A Facebook spokeswoman confirmed some sites were being blocked in error and the company was working to correct the mistakes. 

On Tuesday, the Australian government said it plans to tweak the proposed legislation to clarify that Facebook and Google would be required to pay publishers in lump sums instead of per news article click. Under the proposal, news outlets would be able to bargain with Facebook and Google over how much they should get paid for content shown on these platforms. An FAQ about the potential changes says the new code was created to “address a bargaining power imbalance” between Australian news outlets and major digital platforms.

“While bargaining power imbalances exist in other areas, the bargaining power imbalance between news media businesses and major digital platforms is being addressed as a strong and independent media landscape is essential to a well-functioning democracy,” the FAQ states. 

Australia Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said Wednesday he’s had a “constructive discussion” with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. “He raised a few remaining issues with the Government’s news media bargaining code and we agreed to continue our conversation to try to find a pathway forward,” he said in a tweet.

Roughly 39% of Australians use Facebook to get news, according to a 2020 report by the News & Media Research Centre and University of Canberra in Australia.