Fb Inc.’s Chief Government Officer Mark Zuckerberg’s assembly with Australia’s Treasurer Josh Frydenberg prior to now week did little to resolve the spat between the social media large and the nation over proposed changes to media laws.
“Mark Zuckerberg didn’t persuade me to again down, if that’s what you’re asking,” Frydenberg mentioned on Australian Broadcasting Corp.’s “Insiders” program on Sunday. The billionaire “reached out to speak in regards to the code and the affect on Fb” in what the treasurer referred to as “a really constructive dialogue.”
Tech giants from Fb to Alphabet Inc.’s Google have been battling Australian lawmakers on the proposed laws requiring them to pay for utilizing media content material. The brand new legal guidelines are designed to help the native media business, together with Rupert Murdoch’s Information Corp., that has struggled to adapt to the digital economic system.
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Fb has threatened to dam Australians from sharing information on its platform if the legislation is pushed by, whereas Google mentioned it might take away its search engine fully from the Australian market.
Frydenberg mentioned Sunday that whereas he doesn’t dismiss Google’s threats, he’s not “intimidated” by them both.
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“We’re in detailed discussions with Google, with Fb, with the opposite gamers throughout the business, as a result of this has not been a brief dialog that we’ve had with these firms,” he mentioned.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has additionally spoken with Microsoft Corp.’s CEO Satya Nadella in regards to the proposed adjustments, Frydenberg mentioned.
“At each step of the way in which, these companies have been consulted,” the treasurer mentioned. “What I do know is media companies needs to be paid for content material.”
By Chelsea Mes
