Reuters
Published on 18.08.2023 20:03
Updated on 18.08.2023 20:16
OTTAWA, Aug 18 (Reuters) – A Canadian government minister on Friday asked Meta to lift a ban on Canadian news broadcasts on its platforms to allow people to share information about the massive fires in the west of the country. .
Meta began blocking news on its Facebook (NASDAQ:META) and Instagram platforms for all users in Canada earlier this month in response to a law requiring internet giants to pay for news articles.
Some people fleeing wildfires in the remote northern city of Yellowknife complained to national media that the ban prevented them from sharing important fire data.
“What Meta is doing now is completely unacceptable (…) we see that because of this ban, people do not have access to absolutely crucial information,” Transport Minister Pablo Rodríguez said during a briefing.
“I demand that Meta reverse this decision,” continued Rodríguez, who in his previous role as heritage minister oversaw legislation requiring payment for the items.
Chris Bittle, a lawmaker for the ruling Liberal Party, denounced Thursday that “Meta’s actions to block news are reckless and irresponsible.”
In response, a Meta spokesperson said the company has enabled Facebook’s “Safety Check” feature, which allows users to report that they are safe after a natural disaster or crisis.
(Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing in Spanish by Raúl Cortés Fernández)
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Written by: Reuters
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