The company responsible for Facebook and Instagram, Meta announced this week the removal of all news content from the platforms in Canada. The measure is a response to the recent passage of Bill C-18, known as the Online News Act, by the Canadian Parliament.

This bill passed by the Canadian government forces technology companies like Meta and Google to negotiate payment agreements with media companies for the use of their news on their platforms. However, it is important to note that this is not the first time that a similar measure has been taken by the parent company of Facebook and Instagram.

Indeed, in 2021, the company pulled news content from Facebook in Australia in opposition to a law similar to Canada’s. However, the news content was reinstated after the Australian government changed the law over the following months.

Meta’s decision to remove news content on its platforms has drawn criticism. Pablo Rodriguez, Minister of Canadian Heritage, criticized the company’s choice, saying that after Bill #C18 is enacted, the government will engage in a regulatory and enforcement process.

More than 450 news sites have closed in the country over the past decade

For the past few years, the company has been a vocal opponent of the Online News Act, arguing that media companies, like everyone else, must adapt to an ever-changing world. The company has even started testing deleting news from apps in anticipation of the law’s passage.

Meanwhile, Google, which will also be affected by the bill’s implementation, has yet to officially announce its intention to cut service in the country. However, it began testing a way to block access to news in Canada in February this year.

Meta’s decision comes at a time when Canada’s federal government has rejected suggestions to change the online news law. Since 2008, more than 450 news sites have closed in the country, while major tech companies have gained more space. This also motivated the creation of the law, as reported by the France Presse agency.

Via: The edge