OTTAWA – Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram, has declared that the days of discovering news articles and videos on its platforms in Canada are numbered. In a recent announcement, Meta confirmed that it will officially terminate news availability for all Canadian users within the next few weeks.
Initially, Meta conducted a test in June, limiting news access for only five percent of its users. However, the company has decided to move beyond the testing phase. Rachel Curran, the head of public policy for Meta Canada and a former policy adviser to former prime minister Stephen Harper, stated that they aim to bring clarity to the millions of Canadians and businesses using their platforms by permanently ending news availability in Canada.
The consequences of this decision mean that Canadians will no longer be able to share or view news articles and content from publishers and broadcasters, including international outlets. Even news links to articles, reels (short-form videos), and stories (photos and videos that vanish after 24 hours) are expected to be impacted by this forthcoming block.
Outside of Canada, there will be no impact on users as a result of Meta’s decision to end news availability for Canadian users. However, within Canada, the move has sparked strong reactions from various stakeholders.
Paul Deegan, president of News Media Canada, expressed concerns about the implications of this decision, calling it “intemperate” and warning that it will harm the user experience and diminish the value of the Facebook platform. He believes that without access to fact-based news from real journalists, Facebook will become less appealing to both users and advertisers, potentially leading to advertisers pulling their ads from the platform.
In response to the Online News Act passed by the Canadian government, Meta defined news content according to the law’s description. The bill mandates tech giants to negotiate agreements that compensate Canadian news outlets for content shared or repurposed on their platforms. Meta argues that they do not unfairly benefit from news content but rather news outlets voluntarily share their content on Facebook and Instagram to expand their reach and revenue.
The Canadian government sees the Online News Act as a means to level the playing field between online advertising giants like Google and Meta and the struggling news industry. Hundreds of newsrooms have closed in Canada since 2008, resulting in job losses for over 20,000 journalists, while Google and Facebook continue to dominate digital advertising revenue in the country.
CBC/Radio-Canada criticized Meta’s decision, stating that people who relied on the platforms for news will now be left with unverified sources in their feeds. The public broadcaster views Meta’s move as irresponsible and an abuse of market power. They, along with other Canadian media organizations, are urging Meta to negotiate and compensate them for news content.
Despite the impending implementation of the Online News Act, Meta has shown disinterest in being part of the regulatory process. Instead, they hope the Canadian government will recognize the value they provide to the news industry and consider policies that uphold the principles of a free and open internet while supporting diversity, innovation, and the interests of the entire Canadian media landscape.