Why Meta blocked access to news for its users in Canada

The platform no longer allows Canadians to consult news on Facebook and Instagram. Google said it was considering a similar resolution.

Aim started to block access to news on Facebook and Instagram for users in Canada. Google said he was considering a similar resolutionamid an ongoing global debate as More governments are trying to make tech companies pay for content Of actuality.

“Links to news and content published by news publishers and broadcasters in Canada will no longer be visible to citizens of Canada. »said Aim it’s a statement. News published on foreign sites will also no longer be visible to Canadian users of Facebook and Instagram, and they will no longer be able to share articles on both platforms.

Aim He stressed that the changes introduced on Tuesday will be implemented “over the coming weeks.” An AFP journalist was able to see the information on Facebook on Tuesday, but Some users have reported already receiving messages that content is blocked.

The online news law, the reason why Meta no longer broadcasts news in Canada

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The decision to block information in this country refers to a new law on online information which requires digital giants to pay publishers for this type of content. The Online News Act is modeled after similar legislation introduced in Australia and aims to support a crisis-ridden Canadian news sector, which over the past decade has seen a drain on advertising dollars and closure hundreds of publications.

Demands that digital giants enter into fair trade agreements with Canadian news media and information shared on their platforms, under penalty of binding arbitration. An October 2022 report from Canada’s parliamentary budget watchdog estimates the legislation could allow Canadian newspapers to receive about $250 million a year from digital platforms.

Aim He said the bill was flawed. and is based on the “false premise that Meta unfairly benefits from news content shared on our platforms, when the opposite is true”. Instead, he said, media outlets share content on Facebook and Instagram to attract readers, which helps their own bottom line. “People who use our platforms don’t come to us for news,” he added.

There The Minister of Heritage, Pascale St-Onge, described the measure of blocking news such as “irresponsible”, and noted that 80% of all online advertising revenue in Canada goes to Aim And Google. “A free and independent press is fundamental to our democracy” he said, adding that other countries are considering adopting legislation similar to Canada’s “to address the same challenges.”