Meta to End News on Facebook and Instagram in Canada

Meta announced on Thursday that it would cease to provide news on its platforms, Facebook and Instagram, for all users in Canada.

This decision comes in the wake of the federal government’s approval of the Online News Act, legislation aimed at obliging Internet tech giants to pay news publishers for their content.

The ‘Online News Act’ received the green light from the Senate on Thursday and is anticipated to be officially adopted in the near future. The law sets forth regulations compelling platforms like Facebook and Google, owned by Alphabet, to negotiate commercial agreements and pay news publishers for their content. This move echoes the precedent set by a pioneering law passed in Australia in 2021.

In a statement to Global News, Meta said, “Today, we are confirming that news availability will be ended on Facebook and Instagram for all users in Canada prior to the Online News Act taking effect.”

The proposed legislation has been met with resistance from U.S. technology companies, who argue that the proposals are untenable for their businesses. Earlier this month, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused Meta and Google of employing “bullying tactics” in their campaign against the legislation.

Google has expressed concerns over the law, stating it is more stringent than those enacted in Australia and Europe. The tech giant has suggested amendments “to align with international norms” to address its concerns.

Earlier this month, Meta already started testing the blocking of news on Facebook and Instagram in Canada.

Well, this is going to change how Canadians find their news on Facebook and Instagram. Publishers will likely see a decrease in traffic if their links aren’t shown on these social networks.