London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 31, 2025

Facebook exec Nicola Mendelsohn defends firm from 'school bully' accusations after it blocks Oz news media

Facebook exec Nicola Mendelsohn defends firm from 'school bully' accusations after it blocks Oz news media

The social media giant has blocked users on its platform from viewing or sharing links to domestic and international news content.

A senior executive at Facebook has defended its decision to block access to news media in Australia and says it was taken with "a heavy heart".

The social media giant was described as a "school yard bully" running a "bulldozer" over democracy after it made the move, rather than pay to run publishers' content.

Australians woke up on Thursday to find they could not share nor view any domestic and international news content on Facebook ahead of a new law which would force the platform to pay the organisations producing that content.

News media pages have been emptied of content on Facebook


"It is one of the most idiotic but also deeply disturbing corporate moves of our lifetimes," said Julian Knight MP, who chairs parliament's Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, speaking to Sky News.

"I'm almost speechless which is quite rare for a politician," Mr Knight said. "Australia's democratically elected government is democratically elected. And they have the right to make laws and legislation. And it's, it's really disrespecting democracy to act in this fashion."
Advertisement

"We represent people and I'm sorry but you can't run bulldozer over that - and if Facebook thinks it'll do that it will face the same long-term ire as the likes of big oil and tobacco," he added to Reuters.

Facebook's vice-president for Europe, Middle East, and Africa, Nicola Mendelsohn, told Sky News: "We have taken the decision - and it's been one with a really heavy heart that we've done - to stop news outlets, publishers, and also people in Australia from posting or sharing any news or any news-related content on Facebook.

"It's not something we've done lightly and it was in response to Australia's new media bargaining law. At the heart of this - and the reason why - is we think there's a real misunderstanding about how our platform actually operates and how we work with news publishers.

"It's different to the way other platforms, other technology platforms work with publishers and put out news.

"Here's the difference, up until this week news publishers - not just in Australia but around the world - they have the choice if they want to post news on Facebook.

"The reason they do that is they can get their stories out to a wider group of people, they're able to sell more subscriptions as a result, and help to grow their business."

In contrast to the ban, Facebook launched a News tab in the UK


The UK's News Media Association chairman, Henry Faure Walker, described the ban during the global COVID-19 pandemic as "a classic example of a monopoly power being the school yard bully, trying to protect its dominant position with scant regard for the citizens and customers it supposedly serves."

A spokesperson for the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said: "It is vital people can access accurate news and information from a range of sources, particularly during a global pandemic.

"We encourage Facebook and the Australian government to work together to find a solution."

Facebook has launched a Facebook News tab in the UK after completing deals with many of the country's major news providers, including Sky News, the Financial Times, and The Guardian.

The blocks mean that internationally people can't access domestic Australian news content, and domestically Australians can't access any news content on Facebook at all.

Alongside the Australian pages that have been blocked, the company also appears to have accidentally blocked the Sky News UK page. Sky News licenses its name to an Australian broadcaster, but the organisations are completely independent.

This incident was not repeated with British newspaper The Guardian, which runs a Guardian Australia online brand - the latter of which has been blocked. A Facebook spokesperson said they were investigating the issue with Sky News.

The Guardian Media Group stated: "We are deeply concerned about Facebook's decision to remove news from its platform in Australia, which clears the way for the spread of misinformation at a time when facts and clarity are sorely needed."

It added: "The creation of the Digital Markets Unit in the UK will be crucial to establishing key principles of fair trading, open choices and trust and transparency in the digital economy."

The block also impacted Sky News UK


The move followed a review commissioned by the UK government and published in February 2019 that found Facebook and Google had a detrimental impact on British news media because they captured so much of the share of online advertising revenue.

Later that year, Sky News technology correspondent Rowland Manthorpe reported on how news media organisations were being put out of business by Facebook and Google.

Figures produced for Sky News by research firm eMarketer revealed 61% of UK media advertising was going to either Facebook or Google.

The European competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager described the pair as "a de facto duopoly" but fell short of promising regulatory action, merely saying it was something her office was following.

The block in Australia follows its government drafting a law - which is expected to be passed within days - that would oblige Facebook and Google to reach commercial deals with news outlets whose links drive traffic to their platforms, or be subjected to forced arbitration to agree a price.

Although Google had initially threatened that it would remove Google Search from Australia if the law was passed, the company has now backtracked and signed several pre-emptive deals with news media organisations.

Facebook claimed the law "fundamentally misunderstands" the relationship between itself and publishers and it faced a stark choice of complying or banning news content.

The company's action has been criticised by a wide range of groups, including Amnesty International, which said it was "extremely concerning that a private company is willing to control access to information that people rely on".

At the same time as the block on legitimate news sites was implemented, Press Gazette reported that Facebook was taking money from Chinese media organisations for "propaganda" purposes.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
×