The UK government says a Facebook news ban must be avoided.
Digital Secretary Oliver Dowden
Last month, Australia passed a new law forcing Google and Facebook to pay publishers for news content.
The bill - called the News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code - requires the two companies to negotiate licensing agreements with publishers for news articles appearing on Facebook's feed and Google search.
Facebook had temporarily blocked Australians from sharing news in response to the country making the site pay for Australian journalism.
And the UK's Digital Secretary, Oliver Dowden, branded the move "nuclear" and insisted they must work to "avoid" the same thing ever happening in the UK.
Speaking to the social media giant's communications chief, Sir Nick Clegg, Dowden insisted Whitehall "won’t shy away from intervening to protect the interests of the public", if required, and vowed to speak further on the matter at the UK’s G7 Summit in June.
Dowden said: "I am relieved Facebook has switched newsfeeds back on in Australia.
Turning the tap off on news in a global pandemic was a concerning move which looked like Facebook was putting its bottom line above the public interest. I put these concerns to Facebook and set out our interest in levelling the playing field to enable proper commercial relationships to be formed. We must avoid such nuclear options being taken again."
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