The social media site Facebook blocked Australians from sharing news stories on Thursday. The company is fighting with the Australian government over whether big technology companies should have to pay news organizations for their information. Australia’s government condemned the move. It said Facebook also blocked some government communications, including messages about emergency services. Facebook acted after the Australian House of Representatives passed legislation that would make it and Google pay for Australian journalism, said Treasurer Josh Frydenberg. He said he was given no warning before Facebook acted. The legislation must be passed by the Senate to become law. Facebook fears that similar legislation will pass in other countries. Governments around the world are changing their laws to have some control over fast-changing technology.
Title: Facebook Blocks News in Australia
Content: <div id='article-page'><div id='article-content' data-media-url='//news-app-staging.s3.amazonaws.com' data-base-url='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4910/A.wav' data-capture-url='//staging.analytics.lingraphica.com/events/capture_news' data-article-title='Facebook Blocks News in Australia' data-article-id='5434'><script src='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/javascripts/getscripts.js'></script><link rel='stylesheet' href='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/stylesheets/article.css' type='text/css' /><div class='article'><p><span data-start-time='0' data-end-time='8896'>The social media site Facebook blocked Australians from sharing news stories on Thursday.</span> <span data-start-time='8896' data-end-time='22542'>The company is fighting with the Australian government over whether big technology companies should have to pay news organizations for their information.</span> <span data-start-time='22542' data-end-time='27000'>Australia’s government condemned the move.</span> <span data-start-time='27000' data-end-time='36792'> It said Facebook also blocked some government communications, including messages about emergency services.</span> <span data-start-time='36792' data-end-time='53375'>Facebook acted after the Australian House of Representatives passed legislation that would make it and Google pay for Australian journalism, said Treasurer Josh Frydenberg.</span> <span data-start-time='53375' data-end-time='64521'>He said he was given no warning before Facebook acted. The legislation must be passed by the Senate to become law.</span> <span data-start-time='64521' data-end-time='70646'>Facebook fears that similar legislation will pass in other countries.</span> <span data-start-time='70646' data-end-time='80667'>Governments around the world are changing their laws to have some control over fast-changing technology.</span> </p></div><div class='control-buttons-sticky' style='display:none;'><div class='control-buttons'><button title='Back' class='back' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Play' class='play' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Pause' class='pause' style='display:none;'></button><button title='Forward' class='forward' disabled='disabled'></button><button class='finished-reading' style='display:none;'>Done</button></div></div></div><div id='article-media'><div id='media-image'><img src='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4910/A.jpg'/></div></div><div id='question-content' style='display:none;'><div class='vocabulary_question question-container' data-question-id=16872 data-hint-location='36792' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4910/what_is_google.wav'>What is Google?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='a company that specializes in Internet-related services and products'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4910/alphabet_soup.wav'><span>alphabet soup</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4910/a_course_on_how_to_use_a_smartphone.wav'><span>a course on how to use a smartphone</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4910/a_company_that_specializes_in_internetrelated_services_and_products.wav'><span>a company that specializes in Internet-related services and products</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4910/a_travel_company.wav'><span>a travel company</span></div></div></div><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=16873 data-hint-location='8896' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4910/what_does_the_australian_government_want_from_big_technology_companies.wav'>What does the Australian government want from big technology companies?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='payment to news organizations for information'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4910/a_ban_on_social_media.wav'><span>a ban on social media</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4910/payment_to_news_organizations_for_information.wav'><span>payment to news organizations for information</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4910/free_wifi_for_its_citizens.wav'><span>free Wi-Fi for its citizens</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4910/tutoring_sessions_for_school_children.wav'><span>tutoring sessions for school children</span></div></div></div><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=16874 data-hint-location='0' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4910/facebook_blocked_australians_from_sharing__blank_.wav'>Facebook blocked Australians from sharing <span class='blank'>news stories</span>.</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='news stories'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4910/news_stories.wav'><span>news stories</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4910/photos.wav'><span>photos</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4910/memes.wav'><span>memes</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4910/birthday_greetings.wav'><span>birthday greetings</span></div></div></div><div class='question-buttons'><button class='skip-button'></button><button class='hint-button'></button><button class='speak-button'></button></div></div></div>
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