OTTAWA: Meta said on Thursday that Instagram and Facebook users in Canada would be blocked from viewing Canadian news after Ottawa adopted a bill requiring digital giants to pay for such content. Similarly, Google has earlier said it is also considering a similar move. The two Silicon Valley giants have pushed back against the proposed bill, which aims to help a struggling news sector in Canada that has seen hundreds of publications closed during the last ten years.
Meta Says Canada News will be Blocked After Media Bill Approves
“Exciting news!” Minister for Heritage Pablo Rodriguez tweeted following the bill was approved by the Senate. He expressed regret over Meta’s decision to block news content and vowed to “stand up for Canadians against tech giants.”
Exciting news! (No pun intended) 😉
Next up, Royal Assent!Thank you to all Parliamentarians for their hard work on this important legislation.#C18 #CdnPoli https://t.co/sWIzZkygWk
— Pablo Rodriguez (@pablorodriguez) June 22, 2023
He added that officials met with Google and Facebook this week and looked forward to further discussions about the new legislation.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau slammed Meta for a trial run of blocking his country’s news content for several users, adding the firm was being “deeply irresponsible and out of touch” for declining to pay reporters for their work.
Opposition to the bill, the Prime Minister said, was “flawed (and) dangerous to the country’s democracy and economy.”
Earlier, Google had also temporarily limited access to news for users in Canada. Meta said it was “confirming that news availability will be ended on Instagram and Facebook for all users in Canada.”
It maintained, “The changes affecting content of news will not otherwise influence Meta’s products and services in Canada,”.
