Facebook threatens to cut off all news to Australia if they enact a new law to pay publishers. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) are working on a new law that would force Facebook and similar companies to pay news sources for the content shared on their sites.
The reason for the law is publishers are complaining that more people are getting their news from the headlines and short blurbs found in their Facebook feeds and not going to the linked article on the publishers’ site. If the reader follows the link, then the publisher gets paid from ad revenue on their site. They are seeking revenue from the initial impression as well.
Facebook refuses to participate in this change because they claim the news sources can publish articles without limit and Facebook would have to pay every time. Facebook claims the offered alternatives like Facebook News but they were ignored. If the law is enacted, Facebook and Instagram will ban all news, both local and international, from being shared by users in Australia.
There is no clear right or wrong in this fight. We will be discussing the topic on the next episode of the podcast. Let us know your thoughts on the socials!
Sources: Facebook Statement, Google Statement, Engadget
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