the government of Canada announced on Wednesday 5 that it would stop advertising on Facebook It is instagramin response to the decision of Aim to block access to news content on its social platforms as part of a temporary test. Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez announced Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government decision at a news conference.
Canada’s decision is the latest installment in a dispute that began after the Trudeau administration proposed a bill that would force tech companies to pay publishers to link or reuse their content online.
Meta pledged at the time to block Canadian news content on its Facebook and Instagram platforms to comply with the recently passed Canadian Online News Act. Rodriguez said Meta’s decision is “unwarranted” and “irresponsible” and therefore Canada will stop advertising on its platforms.
The Canadian government’s annual spending report shows it spent just over C$11.4 million ($11.61 million) on advertising on Facebook and Instagram between 2021 and 2022.
Google also promised to start blocking Canadian news content when the bill takes effect in six months. Rodriguez said the government is in talks with the company and believes their concerns will be addressed through regulations that will be implemented when the bill is passed./PA
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