Facebook in Australis says it may prevent its users from sharing news content as the country introduces a new law to force tech behemoths to pay news organisations for the information they produce.

Australian regulators say tech giants, such as Facebook and Google, should pay for quality news content that is reposted from new media organisations.

Last month, Google’s chief executive in Australia said its search results would be poorer for users as a result of the new laws.

Tensions are rising between regulators as the tech giants react to moves by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to “level the playing field” between the tech giants and publishers.

Dramatic losses

Media organisations have suffered dramatic losses in revenue as advertising migrates online.  

The ACCC said Facebook’s threat to block news content was “ill-timed and misconceived”.

“The code simply aims to bring fairness and transparency to Facebook and Google’s relationships with Australian news media businesses,” ACCC chairman Rod Sims said.

Dynamics

Facebook’s managing director for Australia and New Zealand, Will Easton, has written a post saying the draft law “misunderstands the dynamics of the internet and will do damage to the very news organisations the government is trying to protect”.

Mr Easton claimed Facebook sent 2.3 billion clicks from Facebook’s newsfeed back to Australian news websites.

The blocking of news “is not our first choice – it is our last,” he said.