By David Hamilton & Rod McGuirk
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) --Facebook threatened to block Australian publishers and individuals from sharing news stories on its platform in reaction to an Australian measure that could require it to compensate media organizations for its use of their stories.
The social network said the Australian move would force it to pay arbitrary and theoretically unlimited sums for information that makes up only a small fraction of its service.
The measure would force Facebook to choose between "either removing news entirely or accepting a system that lets publishers charge us for as much content as they want at a price with no clear limits," the company's managing director for Australia and New Zealand, Will Easton, wrote in a blog post. "No business can operate that way."
Campbell Brown, a former NBC and CNN anchor who is Facebook's vice president of global news partnerships, said the cutoff threat "has nothing to do with our ongoing global commitment to journalism." Brown's post, which cited a variety of individual Facebook programs intended to support news organizations, was titled "Our Continued Commitment to Journalism."
Google, meanwhile, issued an open letter that cast the proposed Australian law as a potential threat to individual privacy and a burden that would degrade the quality of its search and YouTube video services, but did not threaten a cutoff.
"Mark Zuckerberg is happy to let Facebook be a tool to spread misinformation and fake news, but is apparently fine with Facebook dropping real news altogether," John Stanton, co-founder of the Save Journalism Project, said in a statement. "Regulators need to reign in the tech giants' total domination of the online marketplace before it's too late."
Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the proposed laws would "create a more sustainable media landscape and see payment for original content."
"Australia makes laws that advance our national interest. We don't respond to coercion or heavy handed threats wherever they come from," Frydenberg said in a statement, referring to the Facebook threat.
The draft legislation that aims to make Australia succeed where other countries have failed in forcing the companies to compensate media businesses for news content was made public in July.
A public consultation period ended last week.
Frydenberg has said he hopes Parliament will pass the legislation this year.
Associated Press journalist Barbara Ortutay contributed to this report.
Actor Tony Todd, known for his role in “Candyman” and other films, dies at 69
Actor Tony Todd, known for his haunting portrayal of a killer in the horror film "Candyman" and roles in many other films and television shows, has died, his longtime manager confirmed. He was 69.
Todd died Wednesday at his home in the Los Angeles area, his manager Jeffrey Goldberg said in a statement to The Associated Press.
"I had the privilege to have Tony as my friend and client for over 30 years and I will miss that amazing man every single day," Goldberg said.
"Known worldwide for his towering presence, both physically and artistically, Tony leaves behind an indelible legacy in film, theater, and the hearts of those who had the honor of knowing him," Goldberg's management company said in announcing the death.
"We bid farewell to Tony Todd, a giant of cinema and a beloved soul whose impact on our lives and the world of film will never be forgotten," it said.
Todd's film resume included roles in award-winning movies such as the Oliver Stone-directed classic "Platoon," released in 1986.
Todd was also known for his role in the 2000 horror film "Final Destination" and its sequel in 2003. The film company New Line Cinema mourned Todd's death on social media over the weekend:
"The industry has lost a legend," the company said on Instagram. "We have lost a cherished friend. Rest in peace, Tony."
In "Candyman," released in 1992 and followed by a remake in 2021, Todd played a menacing killer who had a hook on one arm. The premise is built around an urban myth that Candyman roamed the Cabrini-Green housing projects in Chicago and could be summoned by saying his name five times in front of a mirror. The 2021 movie explores societal problems such as racism and police brutality.
Todd's television career... Read More