The Facebook news ban and how it will impact you

Have you noticed your Facebook feed is looking a little different? Well, that’s because Facebook has restricted the sharing of news content and people are not happy about it!

Facebook made this bold move in response to Australia’s proposed news media bargaining code legislation that will force internet platforms such as Facebook and Google to pay for news content. Discussions have been ongoing for some time. Facebook suggested more than a month ago it would ban news content if the law was approved. What caught everyone by surprise is that the law isn’t across the line yet; the legislation still needs to be passed by the Senate, but Facebook went ahead anyway and clamped down. Hard.

Facebook’s decision means Australian publishers will not be able to share or post content on Facebook pages. It also means news content from non-Australian publishers will not be able to be viewed or shared by Australian users. Users outside Australia will not be able to view or share Australian news content either.

Scott Morrison has described the move as “arrogant and disappointing”, while Facebook’s Australia and New Zealand Managing Director William Easton says “the value exchange between Facebook and publishers runs in favour of the publishers — which is the reverse of what the legislation would require the arbitrator to assume”.

How will the news ban impact you?

While everybody is still getting their heads around the changes, the long-term impacts are unclear. Right now, the following restrictions are in place:

Australian publishers

• Cannot share or post any content on Facebook pages.
• Facebook pages, Page insights and Creator Studio can still be accessed.

International publishers

• Can publish and share news articles on Facebook but Australian based users can’t view their content.

Australian Facebook users

• Cannot view or share any content from Australian or International news publishers.

International Facebook users

• Cannot view or share Australian news content.

What can you do if your Facebook page has been restricted?

When Facebook placed the initial restrictions on publishers sharing news content, many Facebook pages that do not identify as news publishers were also unnecessarily restricted. This included Government health departments, not for profits and even Facebook’s own page!

It is unclear why certain pages were impacted when they aren’t technically ‘news publishers’. Facebook is receiving widespread condemnation for going overboard with its restrictions and is moving to restore non-news related pages that were unfairly caught up in this stoush. This situation is a moving feast right now.

One thing that is clear is that Australian news publishers, who rely heavily on Facebook to share their content, will need to adjust their social media strategies quickly to remain front of mind. Simple strategies that are already being implemented include:

Focusing on other channels

Many new publications have encouraged users to engage with content on other channels including websites, apps, Instagram (which although owned by Facebook has not been affected), Twitter and Snapchat.

Increasing email communication

Email databases have become extremely valuable to news publications as they provide a direct line of communication and are owned by the publisher. Expect to see a lot of publishers encouraging you to sign up for, or share their e-newsletters in the coming days.

So…what’s next?

The situation at present is not ideal for publisher or users, many of whom, rightly or wrongly, rely on Facebook as a primary news distribution channel and source.

At this stage, and until Facebook reaches an agreement with the Australian Government, restrictions on the sharing of news content will remain.

The Australian Government doesn’t seem to be backing away from the fight either. It has now asked global leaders for support, with Scott Morrison saying Facebook “may be changing the world, but that doesn’t mean they should run it”. We’re watching this space with a lot of interest like so many others to see how this plays out.

Finally, while Facebook’s decision has shocked many social media marketers, it should also act as a reminder that we are operating on platforms that we do not own. The rules can change very quickly. We need to be flexible and adaptive.

Would you like more information about the Facebook news ban? Contact our Social Media Manager, Laura at [email protected]