Conservatives Vow to Bring Back News on Facebook, Instagram

The Conservative Party of Canada released its costed election platform today, promising to roll back legislation they say limits media freedom—including a direct move to restore Canadian news on platforms like Facebook and Instagram.

As part of their platform, the Tories say they would introduce a Freedom of Speech Act to repeal what they call “Liberal censorship laws.” This refers to Bill C-18, the Online News Act, which became law in 2023.

The Act forces tech giants like Meta and Google to compensate Canadian news publishers for sharing their content online. In response to follow the law, Meta blocked all Canadian news content on its platforms, a ban that remains in effect today. Google, on the other hand, played ball and is currently paying $100 million per year to news organizations.

“We will support media freedom by introducing a Freedom of Speech Act to repeal Liberal censorship laws and restore Canadian news on Meta and other platforms,” the party said in its platform.

Beyond the Meta issue, the Conservatives also pledged to boost local and Indigenous media, including:

• A $25 million increase to the Local Journalism Initiative
• $25 million in support for Indigenous language media
• A requirement that all federal advertising dollars go to Canadian platforms only
• Expanded funding for remote internet access

The party also reiterated plans to defund the CBC, stating English-language CBC should become a non-profit, Canadian-owned outlet supported by donations, sponsorships, and licensing fees. French-language Radio-Canada services would be maintained.

The CBC has been criticized for paying out millions in bonuses, despite cutting 600 jobs, amidst its $125 million shortfall for the 2024-25 fiscal year. The CBC received $1.4 billion in taxpayer fund last year, which was an all-time high.

The Online News Act, passed in 2023, essentially banned users from sharing news links on Facebook and Instagram. Many independent media outlets saw their traffic plummet overnight as social media traffic stopped in its tracks. Users on Facebook have circumvented the law by just pasting the entire text from news articles or sharing screenshots. This means news still flows on social media but news outlets don’t get paid, ironically.

In 2024, the Canada Periodical Fund and Local Journalism Initiative provided a combined $106.1 million ($86.5 million + $19.6 million) in annual funding to news media, contributing to over $325 million in total media subsidies, which include programs like the Canada Media Fund and Journalism Labour Tax Credit. Some say this federal funding can influence editorial independence.

One news outlet, The Hub, received $22,248.58 during this year’s election campaign from the Canadian Journalism Collective. The Hub decided to donate its funding to charity, while asking why other outlets and journalists have not disclosed what they have received.

iPhone in Canada remains an independent media outlet and is not influenced by any parent organization’s directive, only supported by loyal readership.