Facebook blocks news! Do you taste Germany?

The additional Australian copyright, “News Media Bargaining Code”, aims to require Google, Facebook and its partners to share advertising revenue with publishers. Facebook does not see this and is now blocking all messages to and from Australia. A scenario that threatens Germany as well.

Facebook blocks all messages in Australia

Additional copyright dispute (LSR) in Australia has reached its next level. Facebook blocks all press news in Australia. The Agreed Campbell Brown, Head of News Partnerships at Facebook.

Our aim was to find a solution that would enhance our cooperation with publishers. But the legislation failed due to the intrinsic relationship between us [Facebook; Anm. d. R.] And news organizations.

William Easton, in charge of business in Australia and New Zealand as the general manager of Facebook, explains one Blog post The specific consequences of the decision.

Due to the additional copyright law in Australia, neither users nor publishers can share news and articles from Australian and international media on Facebook. Publishers only have the option to display the analyzes on their pages.

Facebook users in other countries will not be able to see or post Australian messages. However, it appears that differences remain at this time. Spontaneous testing in an editorial office Basic thinking Show that everything is partially blocked.

Media from Australia can no longer be accessed internationally. (Image: Screenshot / Facebook)

However, other members of our editorial team can view Australian news sites as well as share links and articles from Australian media.

Some users can still watch and share media from Australia. (Image: Screenshot / Facebook)

Additional Australian copyright law requires Google, Facebook and their partners to make payments

But why did this step come in the first place? A new Additional Copyright Act (LSR) has gone into effect in Australia for a few weeks.

This states that internet companies like Facebook and Google share their ad revenue with publishers. The platforms must ultimately pay a license fee to distribute their news content.

This is exactly where Facebook is now dialectic. According to the social network, publishers intentionally share their content on Facebook because it allows them to get more subscriptions, increase their target audience and increase their ad revenue.

In contrast, “Google search is closely related to news and publishers who do not provide their content voluntarily.” Facebook administrator William Easton clearly takes this view. After all, it pays reciprocally to compete.

However, the debate over additional copyright law in Germany shows very clearly, for example, that small publishers in particular are sharing their content with Google voluntarily because they are taking advantage of the massive reach.

Google pays a fee to publishers in Australia

However, compared to Facebook in Australia, Google is quite ready to negotiate.

Australian Treasury Secretary Josh Friedenberg confirmed the opposite MediaThere are already fruitful discussions or agreements between Google and Australian media houses such as Seven West MediaAnd the Nine entertainment And public broadcasting ABC Give.

With the so-called Media News Bargaining Act in the new additional copyright law, there will be movement in the market. Seven West Media You could get between 25 and 40 million euros from Google.

Are publishers in Germany threatened with closure?

For now, the situation in Australia looks like a terrifying scenario for German publishers. However, these reactions – especially from Facebook – are closer than one might expect in this country as well.

The reason for this is the new regulation of copyright law in Europe. In addition to controversial upload filters, this law also provides for additional copyright.

Ironically, the drivers behind the reform are the more than 25 German and European newspaper publishers who see funding for their content at risk, and thus insist on payments from Google, Facebook, and Co.

At the forefront of reformist impulses is Axel Springer, a major publisher deliberately pulling small and medium publishers into the abyss, as evidenced by the now Australian example. Because social networks and platforms don’t all mesh, they simply block the content.

And this affects young publishers hard because they like it, unlike Springer media picture or Globalism You do not have millions of access. For the little ones, Facebook and Google are relevant traffic channels.

In the event that the conflict escalates between legislation in Germany and Europe on the one hand and digital companies like Facebook and Google on the other hand, then it is possible that we in Germany will no longer be able to share news in a place not too far away. the future.

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