Washington DC, SAEDNEWS, Feb. 18: Facebook has blocked Australians from viewing and sharing news on the platform because of proposed laws in the country to make digital giants pay for journalism, angering Canberra that called the news blackout "heavy-handed".
Australian publishers can continue to publish news content on Facebook, but links and posts can't be viewed or shared by Australian audiences, the US-based company said in a statement on Wednesday.
Australian users cannot share Australian or international news.
International users outside Australia also cannot share Australian news.
"Facebook was wrong. Facebook's actions were unnecessary, they were heavy-handed, and they will damage its reputation here in Australia," Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said on Thursday.
Faceook's announcement comes a day after Frydenberg described as "very promising" negotiations between Facebook and Google with Australian media companies.
The Australian Parliament is debating proposed laws that would make the two platforms strike deals to pay for Australian news.
Both platforms have condemned the proposed laws as unworkable. Google has also threatened to remove its search engine from the country.
"The proposed law fundamentally misunderstands the relationship between our platform and publishers who use it to share news content," said Facebook's manager for Australia and New Zealand, William Easton.
"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." (Source: TRT).
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