4 yıl önce

Australia freezes Facebook ads amid new Covid-19 vaccine media blitz

Health Minister Greg Hunt says his department will still pay to promote the vaccine drive, just not on Facebook. Canberra is locked in a dispute with Facebook which pulled local news content over a law that would force digital platforms to pay.

The Facebook logo is displayed on an iPad in Philadelphia. May 16, 2020.

Australia’s health department has announced it will no longer advertise on Facebook, the latest escalation of the government’s feud with the social media giant, which continues to block local news content from its platform in the country.

The freeze comes as Australia begins to promote its newly launched Covid-19 vaccination rollout with a nearly $20 million public information blitz aimed at boosting uptake and countering a flood of anti-vaccine conspiracy theories.

Health Minister Greg Hunt said on Sunday his department would still pay to promote the vaccine campaign, just not on Facebook.

"All of our funds will be used," said Hunt. "We will continue to post on that particular channel, we just won't be boosting."

Australia's government is locked in an acrimonious dispute with Facebook over a law that would force digital platforms to compensate media outlets for online content.

Facebook blocks all Australian news

Facebook strongly objects to the proposed legislation, and in retaliation on Thursday, blocked virtually all Australian news on its platform.

Posts by several emergency services were briefly also caught in the blackout, sparking an outcry.

The law is expected to be finalised in parliament this week and Facebook is believed to still be in talks with Australian media companies and the government to find a last-minute solution.

Facebook's dramatic response contrasted with that of Google, which has inked deals with several media firms, including Rupert Murdoch's News Corp and the Guardian.

ABC has used facebook's ban to prompt visitors to download its app.. it became the most downloaded app in Australia.... although the next four are all owned by Facebook and the 6th is a company fb tried to buy pic.twitter.com/jGxeXYxv6x
— Uma Patel (@umabp) February 19, 2021

While Australians remained unable to share news articles or view media groups' Facebook pages, the country began its vaccination drive on Sunday.

Jane Malysiak, an aged care resident and WWII survivor in her 80s, was first in line.

The prime minister and other top officials were also among a small group receiving the first jabs, before the programme expands this week to cover frontline health care workers and other officials.

SOURCE: AFP