On Tuesday, Meta initiated blocking access to news on Facebook and Instagram for Canadians as a response to a new law requiring digital giants to compensate publishers for the content shared on their platforms. Google, which also opposed the Online News Act, is considering similar action. This move comes amid a global debate as governments try to make tech firms pay for news content.
According to Meta’s statement, news links and content posted by Canadian publishers and broadcasters will no longer be visible to people in Canada. Additionally, Canadian users will not be able to view news posted on foreign sites, and sharing articles on Facebook and Instagram will be disabled.
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The Online News Act is an extension of legislation introduced in Australia and aims to support the struggling Canadian news sector, which has suffered from declining advertising revenues and numerous closures of publications over the past decade. The law requires digital giants to enter fair commercial agreements with Canadian outlets for news and information or face binding arbitration.
Meta disagrees with the bill, arguing that news outlets benefit from sharing content on its platforms to attract readers, which in turn helps their bottom line. They claim that users do not primarily come to their platforms for news.
Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge criticized Meta’s move, calling it “irresponsible,” and emphasized the importance of a free and independent press for democracy. The Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC) also condemned the action and urged Meta to restore Canadians’ access to news.
While some Canadian media outlets view the bill as protecting certain companies from reality, others have suggested alternative approaches, such as providing tax credits to readers who subscribe to online news services, thereby encouraging newsrooms to innovate and giving financial support decisions to readers.
Australia’s New Media Bargaining Code, introduced in 2021, required Google and Meta to pay for news content on their platforms. Initially facing resistance, the code was eventually passed with amendments.
