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Analysis and Technology

Could Australia’s clash with Facebook over news articles go global?

By Donna Lu

3 September 2020

New Scientist. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

Will Australia’s regulation of tech companies start a global trend?

Alamy Stock Photo

Facebook has announced that it will ban users in Australia from sharing news content, a move that comes in response to media regulation laws proposed by the Australian government.

“Assuming this draft code becomes law, we will reluctantly stop allowing publishers and people in Australia from sharing local and international news on Facebook and Instagram,” said Will Easton, managing director of Facebook Australia and New Zealand, in a statement.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), a government agency that regulates business practices, proposed a draft of new…

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