Facebook's Death Star Menaces the News Business
The world would be better off if the social media giant followed through on its bid to resist an Australian antitrust law.
Read all about it. But not on Facebook.
Photographer: PETER PARKS/AFP/Getty Images
If you’re trying to fight the impression that you’re over-mighty and bullying, it’s probably best not to behave like you’ve got the Death Star at your disposal.
So what’s Facebook Inc. doing in threatening to stop users in Australia from sharing news stories on the site and on Instagram? Taking such a step would have deprived local media businesses of A$200 million ($148 million) over the five months through May, according to Facebook’s estimate. Still, it’s “the only way to protect against an outcome that defies logic,” the company said in a statement Tuesday.