Google has become the latest Silicon Valley giant to block Canadian users from watching local news on its platform after Ottawa passed a bill that requires tech companies to pay for this content. Aim He had already announced the same decision a few days ago.

The Online News Act was passed last week, aiming to support the Canadian news sector in a complex context where hundreds of publications have had to close their doors over the past decade.

The rule requires large digital platforms to enter into fair commercial agreements with Canadian media outlets for news and information shared on their platforms, or risk being subject to binding arbitration.

Google Wallet is now available in Argentina: how to load credit and debit cards

Google's statement

In a statement, Google said the new law is “impracticable” and that the government has given him no reason to believe that the “structural problems with the legislation” will be resolved when it is implemented.

Google estimates that it will be “harder for Canadians to find information online” and “for journalists to reach their audiences.”

However, residents of the country will still be able to access news from Canadian sites by entering their respective web address directly into a browser or through applications.

Google's announcement comes after last-minute negotiations with the government to integrate the company failed until the last minute.

“We have informed the government that we have made the difficult decision to remove links to Canadian news from our Search, News and Discover products and will no longer be able to operate Google News Showcase in Canada,” Google said.

Tech giant Meta announced last Thursday that it would also block Canadian news on Facebook and Instagram. The two companies, which dominate online advertising, have been accused to drain money from traditional news agencies while using their content for free.

Canada's decision builds on Australia's New Media Bargaining Code, which required Google and Meta to pay for news content on their platforms.

To compete with TikTok, Meta tests monetization of Instagram and Facebook videos with views

Justin Trudeau said opposition to the law was 'bad and dangerous' for democracy

Due to legislation, Facebook and Instagram users in Canada will not be able to view media news.

“Exciting news! (No pun intended),” tweeted the Minister of Heritage, Pablo Rodriguez, after the bill has been adopted by the Senate, the last step before becoming law. Rodríguez said Meta's decision to block news content was regrettable, but promised to “defend Canadians against tech giants.”

Last month, the Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau criticized Meta for tentatively blocking news content from some Canadian users, saying the company was “deeply irresponsible” in refusing to pay journalists for their work.

Opposition to the bill, he said, was “bad and dangerous for our democracy, for our economy”.

The bill plans to require digital giants to enter into commercial agreements with Canadian media outlets for news and information shared on their platforms, or risk being subject to binding arbitration.

Australia had also accused the two companies, which dominate online advertising, of extracting money from the media by using their content for free.

Although big tech companies fiercely opposed the Australian legislation from the start, fearing it would threaten their business models, lawmakers easily approved it with a few amendments.

ag/ds