Meta to Eliminate Access to News on Social Media in Canada

What's the story?

• Following the passage of a controversial online news bill in parliament, Meta announced that it would restrict news on its Canadian platforms, including Instagram and Facebook.
• Canada's Online News Act (C-18) requires tech platforms to compensate news publishers for content posted on their sites. The bill became law on June 22 and is expected to take effect in six months.
• Australia passed a similar law in 2021, after which users could not share or view news on Facebook. The government eventually made amendments to the law after negotiations with Meta.

What will the bill do?

• The bill establishes rules requiring platforms like Meta and Google to negotiate deals and pay news organizations for the content reposted on their platforms. Tech giants will face heavy fines if found in violation of the act.
• The government said the bill is necessary to increase fairness, support struggling news outlets, and "secure fair compensation" for journalists and media organizations. An independent analysis estimated that the act could boost news organizations' earnings by $250 million annually.
• Canada's Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez said:

"If the government can't stand up for Canadians against tech giants, who will?" 

Meta's response

• Meta has eliminated news posts on Facebook and Instagram for all users in Canada months prior to the implementation of the act.
• Google is reportedly cooperating with the Canadian government, whereas Meta is vocally opposed to the bill, calling it "fundamentally flawed legislation that ignores the realities of how our platforms work."
• A Meta spokesperson told Reuters:

"A legislative framework that compels us to pay for links or content that we do not post, and which are not the reason the vast majority of people use our platforms, is neither sustainable nor workable."

• Meta argued that they are already supporting traditional news sites:

"We estimate that Facebook Feed sent Canadian publishers more than 1.9 billion clicks in the last 12 months, free marketing worth more than $230 million in estimated value."

Canada's response

• Canada's Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez said:

"Facebook has decided to be unreasonable, irresponsible, and started blocking news."

• The country's federal government, and Quebec's provincial government, have withdrawn $11 million in estimated advertising expenditures from Facebook and Instagram to force Meta to the negotiating table to compromise on the terms of Bill C-18. 
• Cogeco Media also pulled ads from Meta, saying:

"Meta's threats are an attempt to force Canada to abandon a fair negotiating regime with companies whose news content is shared on its platforms."

Do you support Canada's push to protect journalism from tech giants?

—Emma Kansiz 

(Photo Credit: Canva)