The company took this step in response to the Australian authorities’ actions, which are going to pass legislation, according to which platforms such as Google and Facebook will be forced to pay local publications to publish their news on their platforms. Facebook notes that news content for Australian users accounts for less than 4% of the content viewed by platform users.

The Australian Senate Economic Law Committee on February 12 submitted the media code governing the relationship between digital platforms and media companies to the country’s federal parliament, recommending that it be adopted unchanged. It was assumed that the consideration of the law would take place on February 16. However, the Australian government agreed to make some technical amendments after negotiations with Facebook and Google heads, so its consideration will take place a little later.

Facebook’s decision to restrict news dissemination on its platform stands in stark contrast to Google’s decision to sign an agreement with news agency News Corp to publish its news. Besides, Google has launched a paid news platform in Australia that hosts publishers’ content under contract with them.

Google noted that it would continue to provide its Australian users with the latest information worldwide. The company will continue to work with Agence France-Presse and the Australian Associated Press as part of its public information verification program.