Report by Tanya Singh:
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison vowed on Friday to press ahead with laws to force Facebook Inc to pay news outlets for content, saying he had received support from world leaders after the social media giant blacked out all media.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has vowed the Federal Government is not backing down to Facebook after the tech giant blocked Australian media companies and users from news content.
Mr Frydenberg told Today the government is pressing ahead with its digital media code that aims to regulate technology companies but is continuing talks with Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.
“We are not backing down, no. We’re implementing this code, and that’s the clear message. We want these digital giants to pay for original content. That’s what Google’s doing, and we welcome those deals that they have struck.”
Prime Minister Scott Morrison informed media in Sydney that Fb’s ban constituted a “menace”.
“I assumed that was not transfer on their half, and they need to transfer shortly previous that, come again to the desk,” he stated.
The ban is available in response to a deliberate Australian regulation that will power digital giants Fb and Google to pay main Australian shops for carrying snippets or hyperlinks to their content material on the platforms.
Morrison stated the laws — on account of be debated by Australia’s Senate on Monday within the subsequent step in the direction of it turning into regulation — was garnering curiosity from different world leaders.