Meta carries out his threats. The social media giant, owner of the Facebook and Instagram platforms, says it has “begun to shut down access to news in Canada.” The company says it blocks news domestically to “comply” with Ottawa’s online news law.
According to tests carried out by La Presse, however, no changes have occurred immediately on Facebook. The platform’s algorithm allowed this article to be published on Meta’s announcement day, Tuesday, August 1.
“These changes take effect today and will be rolled out to all users accessing Facebook and Instagram in Canada over the coming weeks,” the company said in a blog post.
Bill C-18 passed by the House of Commons has yet to become law. Sanctioned last June, it should only apply from December.
The new text must oblige the web giants to negotiate compensation with the news media for the content circulating on their platforms.
In response, Meta and Google have been threatening for months to withdraw access to Canadian news from their platforms. The two Californian giants had already carried out “tests” by withdrawing access to the country’s media from some of their customers in recent months.
Online search giant Alphabet, which operates the Google search engine, cut access to Canadian news to 4% of its domestic users in February.
The company also says it is preparing to remove links to news in Canada, but would not intend to do so before the entry into force of C-18. Alphabet is still in negotiations with Ottawa.
