Facebook announced Wednesday it will block Australian news publishers and Australian users of Facebook from posting, viewing, or sharing any news content. The new policy, known by some as the “nuclear option,” is in response to a proposed law in Australia that would require Facebook to pay for news displayed on its platform.
Facebook warned last month that it would stop users from sharing news if Australia passed the proposed law, known as the Media Bargaining law. The social media giant has decided to stop news from being shared in Australia even before the proposed law actually passed.
“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,” Facebook said in its announcement on Wednesday.
The Trump administration last month expressed opposition to the proposed law, arguing it could hurt U.S. tech companies.
Facebook claims that the proposed law would penalize the company for content “it didn’t take or ask for.” The tech company also said the law would create a precedent “where the government decides who enters into these news content agreements” and how much news organizations get paid.
Still, lawmakers in the European Union are also seeking to force social media companies like Facebook to pay more for news displayed on their platforms.
EU lawmakers said earlier this month that they want to build upon two recently proposed rules, the EU Digital Services and Digital Markets acts, to force the Big Tech companies to compensate publishers better, signaling a win for the news industry.
