Meta has announced that it will permanently end news availability in Canada, removing news for all Canadian users of its popular platforms, Facebook and Instagram. The move comes after a test that limited news for up to 5% of users in June. Meta is defining news content based on how it is described in the Liberal government’s Online News Act, which became law earlier this summer. The move is a response to the bill, which requires tech giants to enter into agreements that compensate Canadian news outlets for content shared or otherwise repurposed on their platforms.
Meta has been transparent about its concerns with the Online News Act, stating that it is based on the incorrect premise that Meta benefits unfairly from news content shared on its platforms, when the reverse is actually true. News outlets voluntarily share content on Facebook and Instagram to expand their audiences and help their bottom line. The federal government has said that since 2008, close to 500 media outlets in 335 communities across Canada have closed, with more than 20,000 journalists losing their jobs, while Google and Meta continue to bring in billions in advertising dollars.
Canadian Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge said that a free and independent press is fundamental to our democracy, and Canadians expect tech giants to follow the law in their country. Meta’s move means people who have come to rely on the platforms for news are now left with only unverified sources in their feeds. The Online News Act will come into effect by the end of the year, as the Liberal government develops regulations. Meta has said it is not interested in being a part of this process.
