QUOTES-UK lawmaker Knight: 'bully' Facebook must back off or face stern action

(Raw quotes)

LONDON, Feb 18 (Reuters) - Facebook's move to blockall media content in Australia is a staggeringly irresponsibleattempt to bully a democracy and will stiffen the resolve oflegislators across the world to get tough with the technologygiants, a senior British lawmaker said.

Julian Knight, chairman of the Digital, Culture, Media andSport Committee of Britain's House of Commons, spoke to Reuters.

On Facebook's move in Australia:

"It is certainly deeply disturbing that Facebook is takingthis step particularly during a global pandemic when trustednews sources and reaching audiences is so important forauthorities. I think its deeply irresponsible to have to takenthis action at this particular time.

"What they're doing is the equivalent of taking their ballhome when it comes to acting against a government's legislationin this way. It throws a whole idea of Facebook cooperating withlegislators around the globe out of the window.

"They've made a great deal since the DCMS inquiry into fakenews and disinformation and Cambridge Analytica which obviouslyfirst really refocused the world's attention on Facebook in itsuse of data and the way in which it dominates our social medialandscape along with the likes of Google and Twitter.

"They've since then said that they would be responsible andthat they would cooperate with legislators. This doesn't looklike cooperation to me. This looks like they're taking theirball home with them. Frankly, I think they need to rethink itvery quickly."

"The idea of Facebook effectively cutting off any newssource at this particular time when people need trustedinformation is staggering actually in its lack of care. I haveto say that I think it's clear to me that in this decision.Facebook is failing to be a good global citizen."

"We represent people and I'm sorry but you can't runbulldozer over that - and if Facebook thinks it'll do that itwill face the same long-term ire as the likes of big oil andtobacco because basically they are the super companies oftoday."

SHOULD LEGISLATORS FORCE FACEBOOK TO PAY FOR NEWS IN THEUNITED KINGDOM?

"Yes, I think there is a case. If you gain value fromcarrying trusted sources of information - in the same way as ifyou gain values for example from music streams - that those thatcarry those and then sell advertising off the back of thatvalue, should pay for it. It seems to be pretty logical.

"If they are effectively monetizing other people, then theyshould pay for it, in my view."

"But to be honest with you, this action - this bully boyaction - that they've undertaken in Australia will I thinkignite a desire to go further amongst legislators around theworld. Because the truth is: if they're not willing tocooperate, if at the first opportunity they decide to take anaction such as this, and turn off people's news streams, thenwhat frankly is the point of cooperation if that is the case?

"They therefore should face stern legislative action and bebrought to heel that way rather than through the softly-softlyapproach which they said they wanted."

"I think they're almost using Australia as a test ofstrength for global democracies as to whether or not they wishto impose restrictions on the way in which they do business, orcorrections to the way in which they operate within markets. So,we're all behind Australia in my view."

"If they are forced to give way to Facebook on such matters,then Facebook will just feel emboldened and that it can activelygo against legislation that is introduced elsewhere. So, this isa real test case."

HAVE FACEBOOK AND THE TECH GIANTS GOT A LITTLE TOO BIG FORTHEIR BOOTS?

"That's the understatement of the century isn't it?"

"The way in which you tackle the tech giants in a positiveway is to look at competition and exactly how they are acting incertain markets... The competition route is often the route toensure they operate as better citizens withing the globalmarket."

(Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge. Editing by Andrew MacAskill)