The Australian Government is rallying support from foreign leaders to join the fight against the tech giant Facebook after the platform banned Australian news companies from posting content.
Scott Morrison has raised the tactic with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to prevent Facebook from bullying governments.
Mr Morrison launched a furious attack on Facebook after the platform banned news companies, saying the company had “unfriended” Australia, calling its actions “arrogant” and “disappointing”.
“I am in regular contact with the leaders of other nations on these issues,” Mr Morrison wrote in a statement, released on his Facebook page.
“These actions will only confirm the concerns that an increasing number of countries are expressing about the behaviour of BigTech companies who think they are bigger than governments and that the rules should not apply to them.
“They may be changing the world, but that doesn’t mean they run it.”
Other countries are paying attention, as politicians in the UK and Europe are considering similar laws to those being introduced in Australia.
British MP Julian Knight backed the Australian Government’s move to tighten laws on social media giants.
“Australia’s democratically elected government is democratically elected. And they have the right to make laws and legislation. And it’s, it’s really disrespecting democracy to act in this fashion,” Mr Knight, who chairs a media committee, told Sky News UK.
“It is one of the most idiotic but also deeply disturbing corporate moves of our lifetimes.”
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said that the timing of the ban was surprising as Facebook saw the passage of the proposed code through the House of Representatives, but said the government had no warning.
The bill is yet to go through the senate.
This article originally appeared on Over60.