Google tests news blocking in Canada
Google confirmed to AFP on Thursday (23) that it was blocking some users from accessing news sites in Canada as part of a test against a local bill.
A bill is being drafted in the country that would see tech giants like Google and Meta paying news sites to publish their content. A similar law was passed in Australia in 2021.
The Canadian bill is currently being debated in the Senate, but is already facing strong opposition from tech companies. While media companies accuse the companies of profiting from advertising on top of their news, Google and Meta refuse to pay the companies, calling the bill excessive. Google’s test could mean the company is willing to block news altogether rather than pay for it.
Google is currently blocking access to news portals for five weeks, affecting 4% of its users. “We run thousands of tests every year to evaluate any potential changes to search,” Google spokesperson Shay Purdy told AFP.
In Brazil, a measure similar to the one approved in Australia and under discussion in Canada is present in the Fake News Bill, which has not yet been approved. Meta and Google have already positioned themselves against this point of the bill in the country.
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