Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has taken a drastic step by blocking news content in Canada on its platforms, effective immediately. This move is in response to a new law, known as the Online News Act, which requires tech giants to pay publishers for linking to or repurposing their content online. The law, which is expected to take effect in December, aims to ensure fair compensation for news organizations for the use of their content.
Meta has been threatening to block news sites in Canada for nearly a year, and its management has always maintained that the law is based on an incorrect premise. They argue that they do not benefit unfairly from news content shared on their platforms, but rather that news organizations benefit from the exposure on their platforms.
According to Meta, the changes mean that people in Canada will no longer be able to view or share news on Facebook and Instagram, including news articles, videos, and audio posted by outlets inside or outside of Canada. However, links posted by Canadian outlets will still be visible in other countries. This move has been widely criticized, with Minister of Canadian Heritage Pascale St-Onge calling Meta’s decision “irresponsible” and stating that the company would rather block its users from accessing good-quality and local news rather than paying their fair share to news organizations.
Canada’s government has also taken a strong stance against Meta’s decision, stating that it would stop advertising on Facebook and Instagram in response to the company’s earlier decision to block access to news content on its social platforms as part of a temporary test. This move is not unprecedented, as Meta has taken similar steps in the past. In 2021, it briefly blocked news from its platform in Australia after the country passed legislation that would compel tech companies to pay publishers for using their news stories. However, the company later struck deals with Australian publishers.
Facebook and Instagram
It is worth noting that Google’s parent company, Alphabet, has also announced plans to block news links in Canada in response to the new law, although it does not appear to have followed through yet. The company has stated that it will begin removing news links in the country when the law takes effect, expected in December.
Meta’s decision to block news content in Canada is a significant development in the ongoing debate about fair compensation for news organizations and the role of tech giants in the digital media terrain. The move has significant implications for news consumers and media organizations in Canada, and it remains to be seen how the situation will unfold in the coming months.
