Facebook adds to Google’s attacks on proposed News Media Code

Google has been bombarding visitors to its platforms with warning notices about what it claims to be likely impacts of the ACCC’s proposed News Media Bargaining code.

Facebook has now added to the attacks in the form of a blog by local managing director, Will Easton:

• Will Easton, ‘An Update About Changes to Facebook’s Services in Australia’ (Facebook, 31 August 2020)

Separately, while the ACCC has yet to publish submissions made in response to the draft laws, some details are emerging - see:

• Rob Nicholls, ‘If Facebook really pulls news from its Australian sites, we’ll have a much less compelling product’ (The Conversation, 1 September 2020)

• Paul Smith, ‘Facebook’s nuclear option betrays its talk of open negotiations’ (AFR, 1 September 2020)

• Amanda Meade, ‘Google and Facebook should pay to use ABC and SBS content, ACCC told’ (The Guardian, 31 August 2020)

• Alison Everleigh, ‘Facebook threatens news ban in Australia over media bargaining code’ (Lawyerly, 1 September 2020)

• '“Heavy-Handed and misleading”: Free TV lashes Google and Facebook in response to ACCC code’ (B&T Magazine, 31 August 2020)

• ‘Treasurer responds to Facebook news threat’ (2BA radio, 1 September 2020)

• Joseph Brookes, ‘Facebook threatens to block news content for Australian users under new media code’ (Which-50, 1 September 2020)