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Changes to sharing and viewing news on Facebook in Australia

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Re: Changes to sharing and viewing news on Facebook in Australia

#305

Post by nl »

908B64B197 wrote: post #278
teraflop wrote: post #154

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's even broader than that. The law applies to any "alterations to the ways in which a service distributes content". The law never actually defines what this means, but it gives a bunch of examples that go beyond ranking. For example, anything that affects a particular "class of content", such as deciding whether or not to make all videos auto-play, is an alteration. Basically, this law would prevent Facebook from d…

So it's just like GDPR? Guidelines intentionally kept vague so that some bureaucrat can slap a huge fine and collect the rent? I wonder if that rent-seeking attitude will accelerate or curb the current brain drain Australia faces.

That is nothing like the GDPR.

Re: Changes to sharing and viewing news on Facebook in Australia

#306

Post by nitemice »

incompatible wrote: post #292
bobnamob wrote: post #253

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Fb may have overshot. They've not only blocked news pages but gov pages as well. Most people I know in aus have been getting covid updates purely through government body social media posts. These are now blocked.

I guess these sites aren't news organizations that would be covered by the proposed media law. Facebook is probably just trying to emphasise its point. Likewise, in restricting the availability of non-Australian news sites to users in Australia.

They're not news organisations covered by the code, but what they publish is news content, according to the code:

core news content means content that reports, investigates or explains:

a) issues or events that are relevant in engaging Australians in public debate and in informing democratic decision-making; or

b) current issues or events of public significance for Australians at a local, regional or national level

This just proves how misguidedly sweeping the legislation is.

52A: https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/legislation/bi...

Re: Changes to sharing and viewing news on Facebook in Australia

#307

Post by biztos »

catmanjan wrote: post #268
echevil wrote: post #254

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Does Australia have businesses in similar model like Facebook? Or are you talking about completely different models?

I don't believe we do, but I think the government may be thinking that now would be an excellent opportunity for someone to give it a go (our prime minister has a funny saying "if you have a go, you will get a go")

> if you have a go, you will get a go

OT and I do understand the meaning, but as a matter of language isn’t this in the wrong order?

Re: Changes to sharing and viewing news on Facebook in Australia

#308

Post by yellow_postit »

teraflop wrote: post #154
gkmcd wrote: post #60

A key part of this legislation is the requirements for tech companies to provide selected news organisations with advance notice about changes to ranking algorithms. This has been generally overlooked in the reporting and discussion but I believe it is the actually the most important part of the legislation. It will give the selected news organisations an enormous advantage over other companies not included and prote…

It's even broader than that. The law applies to any "alterations to the ways in which a service distributes content". The law never actually defines what this means, but it gives a bunch of examples that go beyond ranking. For example, anything that affects a particular "class of content", such as deciding whether or not to make all videos auto-play, is an alteration. Basically, this law would prevent Facebook from d…

Thanks for highlighting this. The initial reporting and FB’s own blog posts do not make this clear. Even running experiments at scale could be problematic with the way this is written (interpretation as a non-lawyer).

Re: Changes to sharing and viewing news on Facebook in Australia

#309

Post by philliphaydon »

Jonanin wrote: post #89
ocdtrekkie wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The only problem I have with this requirement is that it requires giving only news organizations access to this information. Your concerns can adequately be addressed by ensuring everyone has even access to that information. Google and Facebook's algorithms should be required to be publicly disclosed. As a society, we should demand that we are able to see the algorithms that every web property lives and dies based on…

These algorithms are not human readable code. They are massively complex interconnected systems of many black box ML models. I don't understand what clarity people think releasing the "algorithms" will bring. In fact, describing ranking as a single algorithm is pretty misleading.

If it’s ML that is doing all the work to display articles. Then ML has a long way to go.

Re: Changes to sharing and viewing news on Facebook in Australia

#310

Post by donnythecroc »

908B64B197 wrote: post #278
teraflop wrote: post #154

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's even broader than that. The law applies to any "alterations to the ways in which a service distributes content". The law never actually defines what this means, but it gives a bunch of examples that go beyond ranking. For example, anything that affects a particular "class of content", such as deciding whether or not to make all videos auto-play, is an alteration. Basically, this law would prevent Facebook from d…

So it's just like GDPR? Guidelines intentionally kept vague so that some bureaucrat can slap a huge fine and collect the rent? I wonder if that rent-seeking attitude will accelerate or curb the current brain drain Australia faces.

Google has been busy making major deals with news organisations. Facebook has chosen the opposite track. The problem Facebook has is government in Australia is wildly popular because of the pandemic. They can do what they want right now it won't lose them any votes. Ministers are already telling Facebook to leave the country completely!
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