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world news Diaranson 2 september 2020

Facebook threatens to block news distribution in Australia

By DAVID HAMILTON islation this year. Australian
and ROD McGUIRK Competition and Consumer
Associated Press Commission chair Rod Sims,
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) the fair trade watchdog who
— Facebook threatened to devised the model for mak-
block Australian publishers ing Facebook and Google pay
and individuals from sharing for content, said he hoped
news stories on its platform "parties will engage in con-
in reaction to an Australian structive discussions" as the
measure that could require draft legislation was finalized.
it to compensate media orga- "Facebook's threat today to
nizations for its use of their prevent any sharing of news
stories. on its services in Australia is
The social network said the ill-timed and misconceived,"
Australian move would force Sims said.
it to pay arbitrary and theo- Terry Flew, a professor in the
retically unlimited sums for creative industries faculty of
information that makes up the Queensland University
only a small fraction of its of Technology, said it was im-
service. possible to predict how much
The measure would force the proposed laws could cost
Facebook to choose between Facebook because prices had
"either removing news en- to be negotiated with Austra-
tirely or accepting a system lian news businesses.
that lets publishers charge In this April 14, 2020 file photo, the thumbs up Like logo is shown on a sign at Facebook "My sense would be in terms
us for as much content as headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif. of overall revenues for Face-
they want at a price with no Associated Press book, not very much," Flew
clear limits," the company's said of costs.
managing director for Aus- Australian government gets potential threat to individual sustainable media landscape "The bigger concern that's
tralia and New Zealand, Will to work on its final wording. privacy and a burden that and see payment for original animating the digital plat-
Easton, wrote in a blog post. Australian Communica- would degrade the quality of content." forms is the possibility of this
"No business can operate that tions Minister Paul Fletcher its search and YouTube video "Australia makes laws that legislation extending from
way." Campbell Brown, a for- declined to say whether he services, but did not threaten advance our national interest. Australia into other jurisdic-
mer NBC and CNN anchor thought Facebook would a cutoff. "Mark Zuckerberg We don't respond to coer- tions where it might start to
who is Facebook's vice presi- make good on its threat. is happy to let Facebook be cion or heavy handed threats significantly impact upon
dent of global news partner- "It's far from unprecedented a tool to spread misinforma- wherever they come from," their global business," Flew
ships, said the cutoff threat for big tech companies to tion and fake news, but is ap- Frydenberg said, referring to added.
"has nothing to do with our make heavy-handed threats," parently fine with Facebook the Facebook threat. News Corp Australia, one
ongoing global commitment Fletcher said. dropping real news altogeth- The draft legislation that aims of the country's largest me-
to journalism." Brown's post, "We will continue with our er," John Stanton, co-founder to make Australia succeed dia conglomerates, declined
which cited a variety of in- thorough and careful pro- of the Save Journalism Proj- where other countries have to comment on Facebook's
dividual Facebook programs cess, our public policy pro- ect, said in a statement. "Reg- failed in forcing the compa- statement.
intended to support news or- cess, based upon the facts, ulators need to reign in the nies to compensate media The draft legislation that aims
ganizations, was titled "Our based upon giving all stake- tech giants' total domination businesses for news content to make Australia succeed
Continued Commitment to holders the chance to put of the online marketplace be- was made public in July. where other countries have
Journalism." their views," he added. fore it's too late." A public consultation period failed in forcing the compa-
The threat came after a con- Google, meanwhile, issued Australian Treasurer Josh ended last week. nies to compensate media
sultation period on the draft an open letter that cast the Frydenberg said the proposed Frydenberg has said he hopes businesses for news content
law ended last week and the proposed Australian law as a laws would "create a more Parliament will pass the leg- was made public in July.q

Washington says pardons by Venezuela’s Maduro are token acts

“Restoring constitutional doning political occupants as sion, and welcome indepen-
rights that were illegally tak- a goodwill gesture to boost dent international election
en away should not be ap- participation in a congressio- observers,” the statement
plauded,” the U.S. State De- nal election set for Dec. 6. An said. The list of people par-
partment said in a statement. opposition coalition led by doned didn’t include promi-
“All of these prisoners should U.S.-backed politician Juan nent opposition leaders such
be released immediately and Guaidó is mounting a boy- as Leopoldo López, who re-
unconditionally.” cott, calling the vote rigged. mains inside a foreign ambas-
The Venezuelan government The U.S. leads a coalition sador’s residence in Caracas,
a day earlier said it was par- of more than 50 nations that or Julio Borges, a powerful
doning 110 people, including backed Guaidó as Venezuela’s opposition lawmaker who is
opposition politicians jailed, legitimate leader, pressuring in neighboring Colombia.
living in foreign embassies in Maduro to leave power. Guaidó said the Venezuelan
Caracas or driven into exile. The State Department de- government’s list included
Prisoner rights groups say scribed the pardons as “token 26 lawmakers either charged
In this March 12, 2020 file photo, Venezuelan President Nicolas that just 50 of them are what actions” and said conditions with crimes or jailed. He said
Maduro speaks at the Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, the opposition considers po- required for free and fair Maduro’s “dictatorship” is
Venezuela. litically motivated cases. elections are clear. using them as pawns, while
Associated Press According to the Caracas- “Maduro must lift the ban continuing to persecute op-
based prisoner rights group on political parties and can- ponents. Among opposition
By SCOTT SMITH lás Maduro should not be Foro Penal, Venezuelan jails didates, respect Venezuelans’ lawmakers and politicians
Associated Press praised for releasing a few hold more than 330 people freedom of speech and the released from jail late Mon-
CARACAS, Venezuela political opponents ahead of a the opposition considers po- press, end censorship, dis- day were Renzo Prieto, Gil-
(AP) — The Trump admin- congressional election, when litical prisoners. band his death squads, pro- ber Caro and Antonio Geara.
istration said Tuesday that many more opposition activ- Venezuelan officials framed vide for an honest and inde- Guaidó’s chief of staff Rober-
Venezuelan President Nico- ists remain in jail. the presidential decree par- pendent electoral commis- to Marrero was also freed.q