Social media giant to lift ban on news

FACEBOOK has said it will lift its ban on Australians sharing news after it struck a deal with the government on legislation that would make digital giants pay for journalism.

Australia’s treasurer Josh Frydenberg and Facebook confirmed they had agreed amendments to proposed legislation to require the social network and Google to pay for Australian news that they feature.

Facebook’s co-operation is a major victory in Australian efforts to make the two gateways to the internet pay for the journalism they use.

The company had blocked Australian users from accessing and sharing news last week after the House of Representatives passed the draft law.

Initially, the Facebook news blockade cut access – at least temporarily – to government pandemic, public health and emergency services, sparking public outrage.

The amended version of the legislation would give digital platforms a month before they are formally designated under the code. That would give those involved more time to broker agreements before they are forced to enter the binding arbitration arrangements required by the proposed law.

Frydenberg described the agreed amendments as

“clarifications” of the government’s intent. He said his negotiations with Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg were “difficult”.

A statement by Campbell Brown, Facebook’s vice president for news partnerships, said the deal allows the company to choose which publishers it will support, including small and local ones.