Zuckerberg’s pitch didn’t convince Australia to back down from new law

Facebook Inc.’s Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg’s meeting with Australia’s Treasurer Josh Frydenberg in the past week did little to resolve the spat between the social media giant and the country over proposed changes to media laws.

“Mark Zuckerberg didn’t convince me to back down, if that’s what you’re asking,” Frydenberg said on Australian Broadcasting Corp.’s “Insiders” program on Sunday. The billionaire “reached out to talk about the code and the impact on Facebook” in what the treasurer called “a very constructive discussion.”

Tech giants from Facebook to Alphabet Inc.’s Google have been battling Australian lawmakers on the proposed legislation requiring them to pay for using media content. The new laws are designed to support the local media industry, including Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp., that has struggled to adapt to the digital economy.