Facebook is banning Australian users from sharing news after the country proposed a law forcing tech companies to pay news outlets

• Facebook is blocking Australian users from seeing, sharing, and interacting with news on the site.
• Moreover, all Facebook users worldwide won't be able to see news shared by Australian news outlets.
• The move is a reaction to a bill that would force tech companies to pay news providers.

Facebook is removing critical functionality for its Australian users: the ability to see, share, and interact with news content on the social media platform.

In response to a recently proposed law in Australia, Facebook announced on Wednesday that it would pull those services from its Australian users as a means of skirting the new laws.

"The proposed law fundamentally misunderstands the relationship between our platform and publishers who use it to share news content. It has left us facing a stark choice: attempt to comply with a law that ignores the realities of this relationship, or stop allowing news content on our services in Australia," the blog post from Facebook said. "With a heavy heart, we are choosing the latter."

The proposed Media Bargaining law requires companies like Facebook and Google to pay media companies for the news content that's aggregated and disseminated on their platforms.

The move doesn't just impact Austrlian users, but extends to all Facebook users when it comes to Australian news media. Going forward, everyone using Facebook, "cannot view or share Australian news content on Facebook or content from Australian news Pages."

Facebook's VP of news partnerships, former journalist Campbell Brown, said that discussions between Facebook and the Australian government over the proposed legislation were ongoing. It's unclear what sparked Facebook's decision to outright restrict interactions with news content for Australian users, but there are some indications in Brown's explanation.

"Contrary to what some have suggested, Facebook does not steal news content," she wrote. "Publishers choose to share their stories on Facebook. From finding new readers to getting new subscribers and driving revenue, news organizations wouldn't use Facebook if it didn't help their bottom lines."

To that end, Austrlia's Treasurer Josh Frydenberg told the AP last July that the the proposed bill was intended to give the Australian media, "a fair go" on major tech platforms. Beyond providing financial remuneration for content, the bill also proposes transparency into the platforms' closely-guarded algorithms.

"It's about ensuring that we have increased competition, increased consumer protection and a sustainable media landscape," he said.

In response, Facebook is exiting discussions altogether and pulling services from approximately 25 million people.