TORONTO – An advocacy group, Friends of Canadian Broadcasting, is urging Canadians to boycott Facebook and Instagram later this week in protest against Meta’s decision to pull news content from Canadian publishers on its platforms in response to federal legislation.
Starting on August 23 and continuing through August 24, the group is encouraging individuals to refrain from posting content on Meta’s platforms during this period as a demonstration of solidarity against what they see as Meta’s unwillingness to cooperate with the Online News Act.
The Online News Act stipulates that tech giants like Meta and Google must negotiate compensation deals with news publishers whose content they link to or repurpose on their platforms. Instead of engaging in potential negotiations, Meta chose to remove news content from its platforms in Canada.
Marla Boltman, the executive director of the Friends of Canadian Broadcasting group, believes that the boycott will send a powerful message to Meta. She stated that Meta’s most valuable asset is the user engagement on its platforms, and losing Canadian users, even temporarily, will grab the company’s attention.
She emphasized that this boycott is an opportunity for Canadians to express their frustration and disappointment with Meta.
This call for a boycott comes as wildfires continue to ravage parts of the Northwest Territories and British Columbia. Due to the rapid developments, including evacuation plans, some have called on Meta to reverse its news block.
Under Meta’s ban, those seeking information about the fires and evacuation efforts have had to rely on government and emergency services accounts or visit news websites directly.
Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge had already urged Meta to restore the ability to share Canadian news, deeming the decision to block Canadian news “reckless and irresponsible.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau echoed these sentiments while addressing the issue. Speaking in Charlottetown, where he and his new cabinet were holding a retreat, Trudeau criticized Meta’s decision as detrimental to democracy. He argued that democracy relies on people being able to access and trust credible journalism, especially in emergency situations where up-to-date local information is vital.
Trudeau also called on corporations like Facebook to prioritize the well-being of Canadians and support quality local journalism rather than prioritize corporate profits.
“It is so inconceivable that a company like Facebook is choosing to put corporate profits ahead of ensuring that local news organizations can get up-to-date information to Canadians,” he stated.