Facebook will restore news in Australia after talks with the government - CNN

The decision — which appeared to be the most restrictive move the company has ever taken against content publishers — forced the pages of media organizations and even some unrelated essential services to go dark.

Facebook's decision to restore news came as the Australian Senate discussed the latest iteration of the media law.

"It's always been our intention to support journalism in Australia and around the world, and we'll continue to invest in news globally, and resist efforts by media conglomerates to advance regulatory frameworks that do not take account of the true value exchange between publishers and platforms like Facebook," Brown said.

Google, meanwhile, had already been trying to get ahead of the new legislation by announcing partnerships with some of the country's largest media organizations, including Rupert Murdoch's News Corp (NWS) and Seven West Media.

Facebook revealed its own deal with Seven on Tuesday.

Asked about Google's partnerships last week, Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg alluded to the changes that were ultimately announced Tuesday.

He said that "if commercial deals are in place, then it changes the equation."

— Kerry Flynn contributed to this report.