There’s something missing in your news feed: news. What’s going on? Why is Facebook in a stand-off with media companies (and the Australian government)? And what happens now?
Jenny Evans/Getty
Experts said the removal of reliable news sources could exacerbate misinformation around the pandemic.
Experts bashed Facebook as nothing but cute cats and conspiracy theories following the decision.
Facebook is blocking Australian users from sharing or viewing news content on its platform in protest at prospective regulation – leading local news media and critics to warn of a potential uptick in misinformation.
In an unprecedented move, Facebook on Wednesday began restricting Australian news organizations from sharing links to their journalism on their pages.
The upshot is that no Australian user will see news articles from domestic news pages or outlets in their news feeds. All non-Australian users are unable to see posts from major local outlets such as The Australian, ABC Australia, and News.com.au.
As Australian authorities pursue a plan to have Big Tech companies pay news sites, Facebook shut down all pages that could be even vaguely be described as news ones.
As it has previously threatened to do, Facebook has removed news pages in Australia. It follows continued progress by authorities toward a proposed system of charging social media firms.
Alongside pages from news organizations, however, Facebook also shut down some charities, plus emergency services and health pages. According to
Reuters, Facebook has since restored the government-owned pages, but very many others remain inaccessible to users in Australia. Facebook s actions to unfriend Australia today, cutting off essential information services on health and emergency services, were as arrogant as they were disappointing, said Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison in a post on Facebook.
By Press Association 2021
A disclaimer is shown on the bottom of Australiaâs Bureau of Meteorology page on the Facebook app
Australian plans to make digital giants pay for journalism have raised questions among proponents and critics, including whether it effectively makes Google and Facebook “pay for clicks”.
The battle is being watched closely in the European Union, where officials and legislators are drafting sweeping new digital regulations.
Sir Timothy Berners-Lee (Herbert Knosowski/AP)
Sir Timothy Berners-Lee, the British computer scientist known as the inventor of the World Wide Web, said the Australian plans could set a precedent that renders the internet as we know it unworkable.
By Press Association 2021
A disclaimer is shown on the bottom of Australiaâs Bureau of Meteorology page on the Facebook app
Australian plans to make digital giants pay for journalism have raised questions among proponents and critics, including whether it effectively makes Google and Facebook “pay for clicks”.
The battle is being watched closely in the European Union, where officials and legislators are drafting sweeping new digital regulations.
Sir Timothy Berners-Lee (Herbert Knosowski/AP)
Sir Timothy Berners-Lee, the British computer scientist known as the inventor of the World Wide Web, said the Australian plans could set a precedent that renders the internet as we know it unworkable.