Since the ban was introduced, ABC has been promoting its own app with the “Do you miss us on Facebook?” Message. According to The Verge, this could be the reason why the app suddenly appeared in Apple’s download lists.
The news app even briefly ranked first on the list, above Instagram, Messenger, Facebook, and WhatsApp – all part of Facebook.
Dispute over a new media law
Australia is on the verge of passing a new media law requiring online platforms like Facebook to pay publishers for links to their news stories. If a platform cannot reach an agreement with a publisher, an independent jury will determine how much a company like Facebook will have to pay.
The Australian Parliament is expected to approve the bill next week.
Facebook is very dissatisfied with the law and believes that publishers are actually earning more from Facebook than the other way around. The tech giant has threatened to block all Australian news links if the law is not amended. This week, the company took action.
According to NiemanLab, Facebook referrals to Australian news sites have fallen 93 percent after the ban. The number of visitors that ended up on news sites via Facebook decreased from 15 to 5 percent.
