Meta (Facebook) and Google’s decision to remove Canadian news content from their platforms due to BC C-18, the Online News Act, which received royal assent late last month, is a stark reminder of the challenges publications face in the digital age.
While the act aims to force tech giants to compensate publications for news shared through their services, this move by Meta and Google raises questions about the balance between regulation and the free flow of information, and, of course, greed.
These tech giants have become increasingly central to the distribution of news, and their actions can significantly impact public discourse. They continue to dominate the digital landscape, generating massive ad revenue, which flows into their shareholders pockets and not into the communities where these news stories are written and published.
As is typically the case, to understand why this is happening: follow the money. Can they not afford to share the wealth?
Hundreds of newsrooms have shut down in Canada over the last decade, and most that have survived run with skeleton crews compared to years past. No one is expecting a handout, only fair compensation for the blood, sweat and tears put into the work.
The Online News Act is expected to come into effect near the end of 2023. Restricting access to news not only limits information available to Canadians but also hampers the ability of journalists to reach a broader audience and hold power to account.
Neither Meta or Google have indicated when local news content will disappear from those platforms. Stay tuned.
