Facebook in Canada to prohibit news sharing following the passage of journalism bill.

Canada’s Parliament Takes Action to Ensure Fair Compensation for News Publishers

Canada’s Parliament recently passed a groundbreaking legislation, known as the Online News Act or C-18, that aims to address the issue of fair compensation for news publishers. The law requires tech giants like Facebook to negotiate compensation deals with news organizations, ensuring that they pay for the content published on their platforms.

In response to the passing of C-18, Facebook made a bold move by announcing that it would no longer allow the sharing of news on its platform in Canada. This decision has sparked a heated debate and raised questions about the power of Big Tech companies.

“We have repeatedly shared that in order to comply with Bill C-18, passed today in Parliament, content from news outlets, including news publishers and broadcasters, will no longer be available to people accessing our platforms in Canada,” Meta wrote in a blog post.

Despite Facebook’s decision, Canada’s leadership remains undeterred. Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez expressed confidence in the government’s stance, stating, “Facebook knows very well that they have no obligations under the act right now. If the Government can’t stand up for Canadians against tech giants, who will?”

Google, another major player in the tech industry, has confirmed that it is also engaged in negotiations with the Canadian government. The company aims to find a resolution that allows news services to continue in Canada without resorting to a complete ban.

This is not the first time Facebook has threatened to pull news content in response to government regulations. Similar battles have taken place in other countries, highlighting the ongoing struggle between tech giants and news publishers.

Meanwhile, in the United States, Congress is considering a similar bill called the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act (JCPA). Meta, Facebook’s parent company, has made similar threats in relation to this bill as well. Although the JCPA recently passed the committee stage, it is expected to face challenges in the Senate and the House.

It is worth noting that Facebook previously banned the sharing and viewing of news stories in Australia after the country implemented a law requiring the company to pay news outlets for their content. However, international pressure led to the ban being reversed within days.

As the battle between tech giants and news publishers continues, the outcome of these legislative efforts will have far-reaching implications for the future of journalism and the relationship between technology and media.

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