Facebook will lift the ban on Australian users sharing news in the coming days (Credits: EPA)
Facebook has agreed to lift its ban on users in Australia sharing news links with others after reaching an agreement with regulators.
The tech giant imposed the block last week after a drawn-out battle with lawmakers over paying media organisations for their journalism.
Australia’s government condemned the decision, which also prevented the sharing of some government communications – including messages about emergency services – as well as some commercial pages.
However, now a deal has been reached that will see Facebook re-introduce the ability to share news in the coming days.
Australia’s government announced on Tuesday that Facebook has agreed to lift its ban on Australians sharing news after a deal was struck on legislation that would make digital giants pay for journalism.
Aussie treasurer Josh Frydenberg and Facebook both confirmed in statements that they had reached agreement on amendments to the proposed legislation on paying for news.
‘The government has been advised by Facebook that it intends to restore Australian news pages in the coming days,’ Mr Frydenberg and communications minister Paul Fletcher said in a statement.
Facebook initiated the block after the Australian government asked it to start paying for journalism (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
Google, meanwhile, has been signing up Australia’s largest media companies in content licensing deals through its News Showcase model.
The platform says it has struck deals with more than 50 Australian titles through Showcase and more than 500 publishers globally using the model which was launched in October.
Facebook said it will now negotiate deals with Australian publishers under its own model, Facebook News.
‘We are satisfied that the Australian government has agreed to a number of changes and guarantees that address our core concerns about allowing commercial deals that recognize the value our platform provides to publishers relative to the value we receive from them,’ Facebook’s regional managing director, William Easton, said in a statement.
‘As a result of these changes, we can now work to further our investment in public interest journalism and restore news on Facebook for Australians in the coming days,’ he added.
MORE : Facebook removes its own page by mistake in Australia news purge
MORE : Facebook blocks Australian users from sharing news content with each other
Source::
Analysis: Rafael Nadal v Stefanos Tsitsipas | Australian Open 2021 | Tennis | Eurosport
Tornado North Carolina. At least 3 dead, 10 injured in North Carolina tornado. tornado last night
At least 3 dead, 10 injured in North Carolina tornado. Tornado North Carolina A deadly tornado fueled by a major winter storm struck a coastal North Carolina community late Monday night and killed at least three people and injured 10 more. The tornado hit the Ocean Ridge Plantation area in Brunswick County, North Carolina, at about 11:50 p.m. Monday night, Brunswick County officials said. Several homes were destroyed and several others were "severely" damaged. Emergency management officials said they'd be sweeping through the area when the sun came up to search the destruction for any additional injuries or deaths. All told, there were four reports of tornadoes from severe weather spawned by major Winter Storm Uri. Storms also damaged homes and other structures and left at least four people injured Monday in Florida and Georgia. In Georgia, a tornado touched down in Damascus, a small community in the southwest corner of the state. Early County Fire Department Capt. Bobby Wimberly said initial reports from units that responded indicated one person was injured and several homes destroyed. “We don’t know the full details yet, they’re still on scene," Wimberly told weather.com in a phone call around 5:30 p.m. EST
Oncor Asks All Customers To Prepare For Power Outages Lasting ‘Extended Period Of Time