If you haven’t seen your favourite news feed disappear or your emergency management update on bush fire has not appeared or not seen the latest update on COVID vaccine roll out or unable to find the election campaign page of your parliament representative, don’t panic as you are not all alone!
On 18-Feb-2021, just after the proposed media bargaining code passed the house of representatives, Facebook decided that it is not only going to block news content in Australia but also decided to take down a few other important items from their website. Here is the current growing list of content that has disappeared for all Australian users on Facebook:
- Media and news websites: The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The Australian, The Herald Sun, ABC
- Bureau of Meteorology – during a season of bush fire emergencies
- SA Health, ACT Health and Queensland Health – specially during the rollout of COVID-19 vaccine
- Australian emergency services – NSW Fire and Rescue, Department of Fire & Emergency Services WA,
- Selective political party pages – Victoria Opposition leader Michael O’Brien, WA Opposition Leader MP Zak Kirkup
- Not for Profits and others – Council to Homeless Persons, Mission Australia, Women’s Legal Services NSW, Sacred Heart Mission, NSW Police Legacy
- UK Football teams – Manchester United, Celtic, Chelsea
If you are wondering, how Facebook can take on the entire country, government and block millions of users in Australia, then you will be shocked to know that they can and there is nothing much anyone in Australia can do about it.
- Facebook is a corporation publicly listed on the Nasdaq, which only has to answer to its shareholders.
- The Australian Government cannot force them to do anything unless the Australian laws prevent such moves
What are the options for Australian government and users?
- Given the enormous use of Facebook across Australian communities, there can be a middle ground arrived at by negotiations
- Australian users can choose whether they wish to leave the platform altogether if they do not agree to its terms of service and find a better platform
- Australian government can fund and develop a social media platform just for the citizens
While the move severely restricts access to media news, it can also easily encourages more fake news over reliable news exposes the risk any country now can face when using platforms that do not have to obey local laws and regulations.
BBC article : Facebook blocks Australian users from viewing or sharing news!
SMH article: Why has Facebook banned news?