'No one who acknowledges the role of news in a functioning democracy can reasonably believe removing the fourth estate from the country's most popular social media service is in anyone's best interest except Facebook's.' | OPINION
At the beginning of last year I met with Facebook's local boss Will Easton for an article about whether the site had made Australia a better place . Easton was optimistic about the things civically-minded people had used the website to achieve. I accepted then, and still do, that Facebook can be used for good. There are obvious benefits to finding like-minded people online, sharing viewpoints with those you might not otherwise meet, and using the power of the crowd for charitable efforts.
News organisations' lobby groups have unsurprisingly gone feral. Television industry group FreeTV described it as "bullying behaviour" that makes Australians "collateral damage".Facebook is an $860 billion international giant that has loudly criticised plans for a code in Australia for months, perhaps concerned other countries struggling with how to regulate the digital giants might look to impose similar restrictions.
Facts have never been more important. News has never been more under threat. And any company doing business in Australia should respect the basic pillars of democracy.The most important news, analysis and insights delivered to your inbox at the start and end of each day. Sign up to
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