The Canadian government on Friday (18) demanded that Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Threads, re-allow the posting of news links on its social media channels so that Canadians can share information about the fires in forest ravaging the west of the country. country.

In early August, the company suspended the publication and sharing of news links for all its users in Canada, in response to the Online Information Act [lei de notícias online] which forces Big Tech to pay media fees for posting and sharing news links.

Residents of the city of Yellowknife, in the far north of the country, said the ban prevented them from sharing important data about the events, because First reported by Reuters news agency.

Ollie Williams, who runs a radio station in the city, said people were posting photos and screenshots of local newspaper news on Facebook because they couldn’t share links on their news feeds.

Canadian officials react to Meta News suspension

Several spokespersons for the Canadian government have spoken out against the company maintaining the veto. This Monday (21), Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau criticized Meta’s measures during a press conference.

“Facebook puts corporate profits ahead of people’s safety,” Trudeau said, calling Meta’s decision “inconceivable.” “It’s time to wait for more companies like Facebook, which earn billions of dollars from Canadians,” he concluded.

On his X/Twitter profile, Canadian Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge released that the company was “choosing to block the sharing of essential information on Facebook and Instagram, even though the law is NOT yet in effect. This decision is reckless and irresponsible.

In response to the protests, the company said it had activated “Security Check” on Facebook. This feature allows users to advertise that they are safe after a natural disaster or crisis.

Additionally, he adds that users in Canada can use Facebook and Instagram to access content from official government agencies, emergency services and non-governmental organizations.

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