Facebook blocks Australian users from reading and distributing news

The proposed “Law essentially misunderstands the relationship between our platform and the publishers who use it to share the content of news”, Facebook said in a blog post announcing this step

This has left us with a grim choice: trying to agree with a law that ignores the realities of this relationship, or prevents the allowing of news content in our services in Australia. Sorry, we're choosing this last”.

By contrast, Australia is trying to get technology companies, including Facebook and Google, to pay for news widely distributed on their pages, as they are releasing “revenue from advertising that used to support publishers.

The law will force them to make deals with media companies or set tariffs for them.

Meanwhile, Google has threatened to withdraw its research services from Australia, but at the same time has also begun to secure an income sharing agreement with publishers.

But Facebook insists his relationship with the news industry is completely different.

“Botists willingly choose to post news on Facebook, as this allows them to gain more subscribers, increase their audience, and increase the income from ads”, Facebook said.