The Intelligence from The Economist Have I not news for you: Facebook’s Australian battle
Feb 19, 2021
Tom Wainwright, the Media editor for The Economist, sheds light on Facebook's audacious move to block news links in Australia amidst a brewing media code requiring payment to news outlets. He contrasts Facebook's actions with Google's compliance. Meanwhile, Nick Pelham, the Middle East correspondent, addresses the grim issue of honor killings in the Arab world, discussing the cultural factors that perpetuate them and the growing activism pushing for reform. This lively discussion offers a fascinating look at the intersection of media and societal challenges.
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Facebook's Australian News Ban
- Australia is debating a new media code, requiring tech giants like Google and Facebook to pay news outlets for linking to their content.
- The code's approval led Google to strike a deal with News Corp, while Facebook blocked all news articles in Australia.
Facebook's Ban Backfires
- Facebook's attempt to ban only news websites in Australia backfired due to a flawed machine learning system.
- It inadvertently blocked non-news organizations, including charities, fire services, and health services, causing public outrage.
Facebook's Argument
- Facebook argues that news publishers benefit from Facebook's links, not the other way around.
- They claim to have sent 5 billion referrals to Australian news sites in 2020, worth around $400 million AUD.