Mark Zuckerberg
Photographer: Marlene Awaad / Bloomberg
Photographer: Marlene Awaad / Bloomberg
Facebook Inc. CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s meeting with Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg last week did nothing to resolve the dispute between the social media giant and the country over the proposed changes to media laws.
“Mark Zuckerberg didn’t convince me to back down, if that’s what you’re asking for,” Frydenberg told Australian Broadcasting Corp.’s “Insiders” program. The billionaire “got to talk about the code and the impact on Facebook” in what the treasurer called “a very constructive discussion.”
The technical giants of Facebook on Google from Alphabet Inc. they have been fighting Australian lawmakers over proposed legislation forcing them to pay for the use of multimedia content. The new laws are designed to support the local media industry, including News Corp. by Rupert Murdoch, who has struggled to adapt to the digital economy.
Facebook has threatened to block Australians from sharing news on its platform if the law is promoted, while Google said it could remove its search engine completely from the Australian market.
Frydenberg said Sunday that while he doesn’t rule out Google’s threats, he’s also not “intimidated” by them.
Australia says it is “inevitable” that Google will have to pay for the news
“We are in detailed discussions with Google, with Facebook and with the rest of the industry players, because it has not been a brief conversation we have had with these companies,” he said.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison also spoke with Microsoft Corp. CEO Satya Nadella about the proposed changes, Frydenberg said.
“Every step of the way, these companies have been consulted,” the treasurer said. “What I do know is that media companies should be paid for content.”
Google is threatening to remove the search as the Australian rankings deepen