Meta, the parent company of Facebook, recently blocked news content on its Facebook and Instagram platforms for all users in Canada. This decision came in response to a new Canadian law requiring internet companies to pay news publishers for their content.
Canadian news industry groups have accused Meta of abusing its dominant market position and asked the country’s competition regulator to investigate. A Meta spokesperson defended the company’s actions, saying the law is based on the incorrect assumption that Meta unfairly benefits from news content.
Backlash Against Meta’s Decision
The Canadian government argues Meta has no obligation to block news under the current law, as final rules are still being drafted. They accused Meta of refusing to engage in discussions. Canada’s news industry had advocated for tighter regulation of platforms like Facebook and Google, claiming they captured online ad revenue at the expense of news publishers.
Meta says users do not come to its platforms primarily for news, and forcing compensation for news content is unsustainable. However, the move to preemptively block all news has provoked backlash from Canada’s news industry and scrutiny from regulators. The outcome of the antitrust investigation and final rules will determine if Meta’s controversial decision stands.