FB boss negotiates Aussie news ban

We talked through their remaining issues and agreed our respective teams would work through them immediately.

SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg held talks with the Australian government Friday over a law that would force the social media giant to pay for content, as Prime Minister Scott Morrison insisted the country would not bend to “threats” from big tech.

From Thursday, Australians could no longer post links to news articles or view the Facebook pages of Australian outlets, which are also barred from sharing their content.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said he had spoken with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Friday, and that negotiations would continue over the weekend.

“We talked through their remaining issues and agreed our respective teams would work through them immediately,” Frydenberg said on Twitter.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison told media in Sydney that Facebook’s ban constituted a “threat.”

“I thought that was not a good move on their part, and they should move quickly past that, come back to the table,” he said.

The ban comes in response to a planned Australian law that would force digital giants Facebook and Google to pay major Australian outlets for carrying snippets or links to their content on the platforms.

Morrison said the legislation — due to be debated by Australia’s Senate on Monday in the next step towards it becoming law — was garnering interest from other world leaders.