Google Follows Meta in Yanking Local News Links in Canada After Online News Act is Passed – Global Bulletin
variety.comNaman Ramachandran Google has joined Meta in blocking access to Canadian news links after Bill C-18 AKA the Online News Act that will eventually make the tech giants pay local media outlets for news was passed.
C-18 was set up to ensure “fair revenue sharing between digital platforms and news outlets”; provide for “collective bargaining by news outlets”; promote “voluntary commercial agreements between digital platforms and news outlets, with minimal government intervention”; and “as a last resort,” establish a “mandatory arbitration framework when digital platforms and news outlets cannot reach commercial agreements,” according to the Canadian government.
As soon as C-18 was passed on June 22, Meta confirmed that news availability would be ended on Facebook and Instagram for all users in Canada prior to the law taking effect, which is in six months time.
On Thursday, Google followed suit, describing the law as “unworkable.” Google said in a blog post: “The government has not given us reason to believe that the regulatory process will be able to resolve structural issues with the legislation.
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