Facebook blacks out news in Australia
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Facebook has blocked Australian users from sharing or viewing news content on the platform, causing much alarm over public access to key information, according to a <em>BBC</em> report.</p>
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The move comes in response to the Australian government&rsquo;s proposed law which would make tech giants pay for news content on their platforms.</p>
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Australians on Thursday woke up to find that Facebook pages of all local and global news sites were unavailable.</p>
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Several government health and emergency pages were also blocked – something Facebook later claimed was a mistake.</p>
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Those outside of the country are also unable to read or access any Australian news publications on the platform.</p>
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The Australian government has criticised the move, saying it showed the &quot;immense market power of these digital social giants&quot;.</p>
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Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the ban on news information had a &quot;huge community impact&quot;. About 17 million Australians visit the social media site every month. He said the government was committed to passing the law, and would like to see Facebook in Australia.</p>
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&quot;But I think their actions today were unnecessary and wrong,&quot; he added.</p>
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Google and Facebook have been opposed to the law and claim it &ldquo;unfairly penalises&quot; their platforms.</p>
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However, in contrast to Facebook, Google has in recent days signed payment deals with three major Australian media outlets. Facebook&#39;s action came just hours after Google agreed to pay Rupert Murdoch&#39;s News Corp for its news content.</p>
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Australian authorities had drawn up the laws to &quot;level the playing field&quot; between the tech giants and struggling publishers over profits. Of every A$100 spent on digital advertising in Australian media these days, A$81 goes to Google and Facebook.</p>
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But Facebook said the law left it &quot;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&quot;. &quot;With a heavy heart, we are choosing the latter,&quot; it said in a blog post.</p>
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