Tech

Facebook lifts ban on US political advertising

Enlarge Facebook will lift a ban on political advertising imposed after the US election to curb the spread of misinformation, and it has pledged to investigate whether its political ads systems need a further overhaul. Advertisers would be able to resume running political ads on March 4, Facebook said in a blog post on Wednesday. […]

COVID 19 Tech

Why N95 masks are still hard to get, even though production is up

Enlarge / A machine makes respiratory masks in a family-owned medical equipment factory in north Miami, Florida, on February 15, 2021. The firm now has 30 million unsold masks because it can’t find buyers in the United States. (credit: Chandan Khanna | AFP | Getty Images) Even though we’ve had more good vaccine news lately, […]

Tech

Australia passes law to force Facebook and Google to pay for news

Enlarge / Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison. (credit: Sam Mooy/Getty Images) The Australian parliament has passed a final version of legislation designed to force Google and Facebook to pay to link to news articles. The passage of the News Media Bargaining Code marks the end of a contentious months-long negotiation between the Australian government and the […]

Tech

Facebook to reverse Australia news ban after lawmakers alter bill

Enlarge / Facebook’s Menlo Park, California, headquarters as seen in 2017. (credit: Jason Doiy | Getty Images) Facebook has apparently emerged victorious from its standoff with the entire nation of Australia, as lawmakers in that country have agreed to amend a proposed law that would have required Facebook to pay publishers for news content linked […]

Tech

Facebook’s Australia news ban backfires, hits government and charity pages

Enlarge / News is still very much happening both around the world and in Australia… but you wouldn’t know it if you’re one of the tens of millions of Australian Facebook users. (credit: Brent Lewin | Bloomberg | Getty Images) A long-simmering battle between tech firms and the government of Australia became explosive yesterday when […]

Business

The news Down Under

Facebook and Google are taking completely opposite approaches to a proposed law that would require them to pay for news in Australia. Read More