The social media giants headquartered in Silicon Valley are well known in the United States for classifying published content “against community standards” or “hate speech” and thus removing it.
In a land of free speech, naturally, that is offensive to Americans.
But, in places where that particular right does not exist, and the people are used to tempering speech one way or another, the thought of being blacklisted isn’t so shocking. Although, in Australia, the issue facing the blocking of the sharing of information on Facebook, anyway, has to do with a proposed law stating that Facebook would bear the cost of its users sharing articles from a number of news outlets on the platform.
The users would not be charged, and no mention of the increased number of clicks that news outlets would get which would allow them to increase ad revenues. No…Facebook would be required to pay the fees and bear the brunt of the sharing.
As a result of this bill being before the Australian Parliament, officials at Facebook have made the threat that they will stop the sharing at the platform level if the law passes.
In a statement, Facebook’s Australia and New Zealand managing director Will Easton said the proposed overhaul ‘misunderstands the dynamics of the internet’.
‘Most perplexing, it would force Facebook to pay news organizations for content that the publishers voluntarily place on our platforms and at a price that ignores the financial value we bring publishers,’ he said.
‘Assuming this draft code becomes law, we will reluctantly stop allowing publishers and people in Australia from sharing local and international news on Facebook and Instagram.
‘This is not our first choice – it is our last. But it is the only way to protect against an outcome that defies logic and will hurt, not help, the long-term vibrancy of Australia’s news and media sector.’
What this move will really do is stifle the sharing of information, not just the collection of it, as the Australian government alleges.
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Thank goodness the United States has a written constitution and written amendments that were added when needed. Thank goodness the United States written Constitution identified the inalienable rights of the individual, e.g., the fight to keep and bear personal firearms for self-defense and the defense of others, and freedom of speech, thought and the press, etc.
The unwritten constitution of Great Britain isn’t worth the paper it’s not written on. What kind of Constitution does Commonwealth Australia have? No legal firearms, and now no freedom of speech. What’s next.
I think Australia needs an American style Written Constitution, don’t you?