Facebook ban on Australian news ends

Facebook Inc (NASDAQ: FB) will reverse its days-long ban on Australian users viewing and sharing news content.

“The government has been advised by Facebook that it intends to restore Australian news pages in the coming days,” said federal treasurer Josh Frydenberg and communications minister Paul Fletcher in a joint statement on Tuesday afternoon.

The social media giant last Thursday blocked all Australians from viewing and sharing news articles, and prohibited Australian media companies from making new posts.

The unprecedented move was in retaliation to Australia’s world-first News Media Bargaining Code. That new law attempts to force digital platforms like Facebook and Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ: GOOG) (NASDAQ: GOOGL)’s Google…