In shock move, Facebook blocks news access in Australia

An illustration image shows a phone screen with the Facebook logo and Australian newspapers in Canberra, Australia. Facebook’s actions to 'unfriend Australia today, cutting off essential information services on health and emergency services, were as arrogant as they were disappointing', Morrison posted. — Reuters

CANBERRA, Australia: In a shocking act of retaliation on Feb 18, Facebook blocked Australians from sharing news, a milestone in the increasingly frantic jockeying between governments, media and powerful tech companies.

Australia's government condemned the decision, which also blocked some government communications, including messages about emergency services, and some commercial pages. The digital platforms fear that what's happening in Australia will become an expensive precedent for other countries.