Rod Sims says Facebook should be forced to negotiate with SBS under news media bargaining code

Former ACCC chair Rod Sims says under the Australian news media bargaining code SBS and the Conversation have made deals with Google but not with Facebook. Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/AAP

Former competition tsar Rod Sims has called for Facebook to be designated under the news media bargaining code to force the social media company to pay SBS and the Conversation for their content.

“I’m not saying designate them tomorrow,” Sims said. “The Treasury review is going on. And so let’s see where that goes. But on what we know now, if you don’t do a deal with SBS and the Conversation then I think you should be designated.”