View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. News
September 2, 2020updated 30 Sep 2022 9:33am

Facebook Australia’s news ban threat condemned as ‘ill-timed and misconceived’

By William Turvill

Facebook Australia’s threat to block users from sharing news content on its platforms has been condemned as “ill-timed and misconceived”.

The social media giant made the warning on Monday as part of its efforts to persuade the Australian government not to push ahead with plans that would force the firm to pay publishers for their content.

On Tuesday, several groups hit out at Facebook Australia’s threat, including the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), which has proposed the new regulations.

ACCC chairman Rod Sims said: “Facebook’s threat today to prevent any sharing of news on its services in Australia is ill-timed and misconceived.

“The draft media bargaining code aims to ensure Australian news businesses, including independent, community and regional media, can get a seat at the table for fair negotiations with Facebook and Google.

“Facebook already pays some media for news content. The code simply aims to bring fairness and transparency to Facebook and Google’s relationships with Australian news media businesses.”

Peter Lewis, director of the Australia Institute’s Centre for Responsible Technology, accused Facebook of displaying “a pattern of behaviour of treating democracy with this sort of contempt”.

Content from our partners
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it
Impress: Regulation, arbitration and complaints resolution

He said that if the tech platform acts on its warning, it will allow “disinformation and conspiracy theories to flourish”.

Lewis added: “As a big advertising company, Facebook would do well to realise its success is only as strong as its network of users.

“Bullying their elected representatives seems a strange way to build long-term trust.”

David Chavern, chief executive of US publishing body the News Media Alliance, accused Facebook of attempting to “bully the Australian government and legislature. It is also a clear attempted exercise of their massive, anticompetitive market power. I suspect the Australian authorities won’t be easily intimidated.

“And without quality news and information, all of Facebook’s problems with misinformation would just become much worse. They would be taking away the only real balance for all the crazy rumors and conspiracy theories that they deliver.

“They should, instead, embrace quality journalism as an answer for many of their issues and offer Australian publishers better and more economically sustainable ways to deliver it to the public.”

Topics in this article : , ,

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network