Facebook’s $1bn pledge
Tech giant vows to support journalism after backing down on news ban
SAN FRANCISCO: Facebook has pledged to invest at least $US1bn ($1.2bn) to support journalism over the next three years, as the social media giant defended its handling of a dispute with Australia over payments to media organisations.
Nick Clegg, the company’s head of global affairs, said in a statement that Facebook was willing to support news media, while reiterating its concerns over mandated payments.
“Facebook is more than willing to partner with news publishers,” Mr Clegg said after Facebook restored news links as part of a compromise with Australian officials.
“We absolutely recognise that quality journalism is at the heart of how open societies function – informing and empowering citizens and holding the powerful to account.”
The former British politician, who took up his role at Facebook in 2018, also claimed to offer what he called “the real story” behind Facebook’s news ban in Australia, blaming the furore on the Morrison government and publishers rather than his employer.
Although he conceded the tech giant may have “erred on the side of over- enforcement” in a controversy that saw about 14 million users in Australia denied access to news, Mr Clegg refused to admit Facebook was at fault.
The tech titan backed down this week, saying it would allow Australian users to receive news via the site. It had blocked access over a proposed law to force tech giants to pay news publishers for articles.
The US social media giant, which has been accused by British MPs of bullying, announced it had agreed under a new government code to compensate companies for the use of their content.
That could result in Facebook and Google injecting up to $200m a year into journalism in Australia, and could encourage other governments around the world to push for similar deals.
The situation in Australia has already prompted international consideration of that value. Oliver Dowden, the UK’s digital secretary, said the government was looking “very closely” at how the UK could make Facebook compensate British media outlets.
In a blog post, Mr Clegg attacked a proposal for a government-backed arbitration system to settle disputes between tech firms and publishers and decide on payment.