Meta has begun to block some Canadian users of Facebook and Instagram from accessing or posting news content until the end of the month.
The move, which the social media giant announced in a blog post on Thursday, comes in reaction to the looming passage into law of Bill C-18, the Online News Act.
Facebook has said it will be forced to block news content from its platforms in Canada if the bill becomes law, something that could happen as soon as this month as the bill is currently being considered in the Senate.
Among other stipulations, the bill would require tech giants to pay Canadian media companies for linking to or otherwise repurposing their content online.
“As we prepare to comply with the legislation, we are announcing today that we will begin tests on both platforms that will limit some users and publishers from viewing or sharing some news content in Canada,” Meta said.
Between one and five per cent of the 24 million Canadians who use Facebook or Instagram will be included in the test, which is already underway.
- Are you a Facebook or Instagram user? Do you use those platforms to share the news? We want to speak to you as part of a story. Email us at [email protected].
“Throughout the testing period, which will run for several weeks, a small percentage of people in Canada who are enrolled in testing will be notified if they attempt to share news content.”
The test means that a user would not see links to articles or videos from news publishers anywhere in their feed. A user would also be blocked from sharing such content to other people.
News publishers will be able to post news links and content, but some of it will not be viewable in Canada
Users who will be included in the test will be selected randomly, and it’s not immediately clear how a user would know if they are included in the test or not.
The number of news publishers who will have their content included in the test will also be randomized, but could include international publishers that operate in Canada. The publishers will be notified if they have been included in the test, Meta says.
Meta’s move comes on the heels of a similar move by Google earlier this year, also in opposition to the bill.
Meta says Bill C-18 is “fundamentally flawed legislation that ignores the realities of how our platforms work, the preferences of the people who use them, and the value we provide news publishers.”
“While these product tests are temporary, we intend to end the availability of news content in Canada permanently following the passage of Bill C-18.”
Government calls move ‘disappointing’
Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez called Meta’s move “disappointing” and said Canadians will not be intimidated by these tactics.
Legacy media and broadcasters have praised the bill, which promises to “enhance fairness” in the digital news marketplace and help bring in more money for shrinking newsrooms. Tech giants including Meta and Google have been blamed in the past for disrupting and dominating the advertising industry, eclipsing smaller, traditional players.
Meta, which is based in Menlo Park, Calif., has taken similar steps in the past. In 2021, it briefly blocked news from its platform in Australia after the country passed legislation that would compel tech companies to pay publishers for using their news stories. It later struck deals with Australian publishers.
More Stories
Feds give financial boost to biofuel sector amid growing U.S. competition | CBC News
Here’s what you need to know about ‘halal mortgages,’ rates
What is a ‘halal mortgage’? Does it make housing more accessible?