Facebook Restores News Content To Users In Australia

Facebook and Australia have finally come to an understanding. The social media giant had blocked news to Australians on its platform since last Thursday. The blocking comes after the tech giant and the Australian government reached an impasse over a dispute regarding a proposed law that would force Facebook and Google to pay news publishers for content.

Now, the Australian government has agreed to change its landmark media bargaining code that would force the social network and Google to pay for displaying news content. Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said Facebook Chief Mark Zuckerberg had told him the ban would end “in the coming days” after the pair had talks. Frydenberg said amendments would be made to the law.

The ban on news created shockwaves, with the action viewed as a direct message to the rest of the world against embarking on similar regulation of the technology giant.

The changes mean the government may not apply the code to Facebook if the company can demonstrate it has signed enough deals with media outlets to pay them for content. The government has also agreed that Facebook and other platforms which would be subject to the code would be given a month’s notice to comply.

Google had also threatened to withdraw its primary search engine from Australia, but the company has recently agreed deals with local media companies including Nine Entertainment, Seven West Media and Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation.