Meta executives have threatened to withdraw news content in Canada if a bill requiring internet firms to pay news publishers is passed.
Additionally, a Google executive stated that the company could decide to eliminate links to news articles in Canadian search results over concerns about facing an "uncapped financial liability."
The proposed legislation, called the Online News Act, would require platforms like Meta and Google to negotiate and pay Canadian publishers for their news content.
- The act seeks to establish a “fair revenue sharing” system between news outlets and digital platforms, which would negotiate the deals "when they profit from their work," said Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez.
- If the legislation were to pass in its current form, Meta would withdraw news content from Instagram and Facebook in Canada, Meta global affairs president Nick Clegg said in a statement.
- Clegg described the bill as “fundamentally flawed” and criticized Canada's attempt to "put a price on free links to web pages."
- The executive also canceled his appearance at a Canadian House of Commons committee today after the title of the session was changed to focus on “Tech Giants’ Current and Ongoing Use of Intimidation and Subversion Tactics to Evade Regulation in Canada and Across the World.”
In response to the proposal, Google began blocking news access on some Canadian user accounts earlier this year.
- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called it a "terrible mistake" and expressed concern about the blocking of news in the country.