The ban on Facebook news in Australia is over, but only after the social media giant has forced the country’s government to make quite strong concessions. Last week, Facebook drastically blocked all news on its platform in Australia – and, incidentally, some charities and health and emergency services, too – in protest of a bill that would make the tech giants pay news publishers for the use of their content. However, according to Reuters, Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg have reached a concession agreement. According to reports, it includes a possible exemption for Facebook if it can prove it has signed agreements with the media to pay for their content and will give Facebook a one-month notice to comply with the law if it moves forward. “Facebook has once again befriended Australia and Australian news will be restored on the Facebook platform,” Frydenberg told the press on Tuesday in Canberra.
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