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Meta starts blocking news for Canadian users
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Facebook and Instagram parent Meta has begun blocking news articles on its social media platforms in Canada.
It comes in response to a new Canadian law that mandates tech companies to pay news outlets for using their content.
Meta wrote in a blog post that the blocking of news content will be gradually implemented over the next few weeks.
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As a result, Canadian Facebook and Instagram users will not be able to view content from local Canadian news outlets or international ones.
The Online News Act was passed by Canada in June, aligning with a growing global trend of governments seeking to compel social media giants to compensate news organizations for content usage.
According to the Canadian law, social media platforms and search engines are required to negotiate licensing agreements with news publishers.
Meta had previously indicated its intention to block news access in response to the legislation.
The company argues the Online News Act misrepresents the value that news outlets receive from using their platforms.
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Meta contended news outlets willingly share content on Facebook and Instagram to expand their audiences and the legislation incorrectly assumes that Meta benefits unfairly from such content.
Pascale St-Onge, Canada's Minister for Canadian Heritage, criticized Meta's actions as “irresponsible.”
He said: “They would rather block their users from accessing good quality and local news instead of paying their fair share to news organizations.”
Ms. St-Onge said the Canadian government would remain firm in upholding the new legislation.
She said: “Facebook is trying to send a message, not only to Canada, but to other countries like New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States.”
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Google has also announced plans to remove links to local Canadian news content in response to the law.
In June, Kent Walker, Meta’s Global Affairs President, labeled the Online News Act as “unworkable” and exposed the firm to “uncapped financial liability” by forcing it to pay for displaying links to news reports.
Mr. Walker said Google had informed the Canadian government to remove news links and discontinue its Google News Showcase product when the law came into effect.
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The Canadian bill was modeled after a similar law passed in Australia in 2021.
When the Australian law was enacted, Meta temporarily blocked the sharing of news links in the country but later reached an agreement with news organizations and lifted the ban.
In California, lawmakers have been considering a bill requiring tech behemoths to pay for news.
However, they announced last month that the bill had been shelved for a year.
Meta has actively opposed the bill, known as the California Journalism Preservation Act.
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