Australian’s ability to share news on social media is being threatened by Facebook as a response to the ACCC’s proposed code which would see publishers able to bargain with tech giant for payment for its news content.
The code in question is a proposed bill which allows publishers to bargain for payment when their content is used. Facebook claims that the move would force Facebook to pay arbitrary and theoretically unlimited sums for information that makes up only a small fraction of its service.
Will Easton, managing director for Facebook in Australia and New Zealand, has claimed that the bill would have a negative impact on the publishers who are calling for the change, as well as the tech platforms.
“Australia is drafting a new regulation that misunderstands the dynamics of the internet and will do damage to the very news organisations the government is trying to protect,” said Easton in a blog post.
“When crafting this new legislation, the commission overseeing the process ignored important facts, most critically the relationship between the news media and social media and which one benefits most from the other.”
Should the bill pass, the managing director says Facebook will have no choice but to suspend the sharing of news on its social media platform.
“Assuming this draft code becomes law, we will reluctantly stop allowing publishers and people in Australia from sharing local and international news on Facebook and Instagram,” Easton adds.
“This is not our first choice – it is our last. But it is the only way to protect against an outcome that defies logic and will hurt, not help, the long-term vibrancy of Australia’s news and media sector,” said Easton.
Australian Communications Minister Paul Fletcher declined to say whether he thought Facebook would make good on its threat.
“It’s far from unprecedented for big tech companies to make heavy-handed threats,” Fletcher said.
“We will continue with our thorough and careful process, our public policy process, based upon the facts, based upon giving all stakeholders the chance to put their views,” he added.
The bill has the support of major news organisations in Australia, as they believe that Facebook and Google are making large profits from ads, which take advantage of the journalistic content shared by its users.
Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the bill would move forward and that the government “does not succumb to threats”.
