MEMBER for Mallee Anne Webster says the Federal Government will not back down in the face of Facebook’s “bully tactics” after the social media giant followed through on its threat to ban Australian news content on Thursday morning.
The move was in response to a proposed media bargaining code, which was passed by the House of Representatives on Wednesday, that would force companies like Facebook and Google to pay for news content on their sites.
Australian Facebook users and publishers are restricted from viewing or sharing domestic and international news, while overseas users are also unable to access Australian news content.
As part of the mass takedown on Thursday morning, the Facebook pages of many of Sunraysia’s news outlets, including the ABC, Mildura Weekly, The Mildura News, Hit99.5 and Triple M, were wiped, along with those of media organisations across the country.
Facebook also temporarily blocked important government information pages including the Bureau of Meteorology, police forces and health departments, many of which were providing vital information about COVID-19.
Dr Webster said the blackout was “an outrageous overreach” by Facebook, especially at a time when “disinformation is rife”.
“The fact that they have stopped government pages such as critical health or emergency services disseminating information is appalling,” she said.
“Facebook need to stop throwing the toys out of the cot and be mature about this.
“A lot of people … actually rely on Facebook to get their news each day.
“It’s critical that Australians and obviously residents in Mallee have access to credible information.
“Our communities deserve news and they deserve to be able to access their news whatever way they want to in a legitimate form.”
But the social media giant claims it has been left with no choice but to take down news content.
“The proposed law fundamentally misunderstands the relationship between our platform and publishers who use it to share news content,” the company said in a statement on Thursday.
“It has left us facing a stark choice: attempt to comply with a law that ignores the realities of this relationship or stop allowing news content on our services in Australia.
“With a heavy heart, we are choosing the latter.”
The move is not entirely unexpected.
Facebook first made the threat to ban news for Australians in August and repeated the ultimatum before a Senate inquiry in January.
But Dr Webster said the government would not be cowed by Facebook’s scare tactics in its crusade to get the bargaining code passed.
“This behaviour is bully tactics in the schoolyard and it’s not going to work,” she said.
“The government is not going to back down. In fact, I think we can be really proud of the fact that Australia is leading the way internationally in this particular code.”
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has spoken with Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg following the company’s decision.
“He raised a few remaining issues with the government’s news media bargaining code and we agreed to continue our conversation to try to find a pathway forward,” Mr Frydenberg said.
Labor frontbencher Mark Dreyfus is demanding the government resolve the dispute, raising concerns about misinformation.
“Facebook is going to dramatically alter the feed that Australians get and restrict the flow of news to Australians, the flow of real public-interest journalism and real news to Australians on Facebook,” he said.
“The question is one for the government to answer instead of patting yourselves on the back. Tell Australians what’s going on with Facebook. It’s something that 18 million or so Australians are affected by.”
— with AAP
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