META Meta Platforms Inc

   By Stuart Condie 
 

SYDNEY--Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said Facebook Inc. was wrong to block government news as part of the social media giant's decision to stop Australians from viewing and sharing news on its platform.

Mr. Frydenberg said Facebook had expressed concern about the federal government's proposed legislation to force social media companies pay local media providers for content, but had not warned the government that it would block official news.

"Facebook was wrong. Facebook's actions were unnecessary, they were heavy handed, and they will damage its reputation here in Australia," Mr. Frydenberg told a media conference.

"Their decision to block Australians' access to government sites--be they about support through the pandemic, mental health, emergency services, the Bureau of Meteorology--were completely unrelated to the media code."

Facebook last year said it would restrict Australian users from sharing news articles on its platforms if the proposal became law.

"It has left us facing a stark choice: attempt to comply with a law that ignores the realities of this relationship, or stop allowing news content on our services in Australia. With a heavy heart, we are choosing the latter," the company said in a statement Wednesday from William Easton, Facebook's managing director for Australia and New Zealand.

Mr. Frydenberg on Thursday said discussions with Facebook had previously been constructive.

He said the government was undeterred in its efforts to pass the legislation.

"If this was easy, every other country in the world would have done it already. But they haven't. And they haven't because there is this unequal bargaining position between these digital giants and these traditional news media businesses," Mr. Frydenberg said.

Communications Minister Paul Fletcher said he had spoken to Facebook about the block, which has affected fire and emergency services, as well as federal and state health departments.

"The government expects them to restore those pages as quickly as possible," Mr. Fletcher said.

Write to Stuart Condie at stuart.condie@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

February 17, 2021 21:19 ET (02:19 GMT)

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