Facebook reverses ban on news pages in Australia

Facebook reverses ban on news pages in Australia
# 23 February 2021 18:53 (UTC +04:00)

Facebook has announced it will restore news content to its users in Australia, APA reports citing BBC.

The tech giant has blocked news to Australians on its platform since last Thursday amid a dispute over a proposed law which would force it and Google to pay news publishers for 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.

Mr Frydenberg said amendments would be made to the law.

"Facebook has re-friended Australia," he told reporters in Canberra on Tuesday.

The government has been debating the law - seen as a possible test case for regulation globally - in the Senate, after it was passed in the lower house last week.

Last Thursday, Australians woke up to find they could not access or share any news stories on their accounts.

Facebook argued it had been forced to block Australian news in response to the proposed legislation.

The government's news code aims to set up a "fairer" negotiation process between the tech giants and news companies over the value of news content.

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THE OPERATION IS BEING PERFORMED