Google announced on Thursday that it intends to restrict Canadian news on its platform in Canada, joining Facebook in increasing a campaign against a new law that requires payments to local news publishers. Google blocks canadian news, the law was introduced in the House of Commons.
When the new law comes into force in around six months, Google will begin removing connections to Canadian news from search results and other goods in the Canadian market.
Google blocks canadian news following the adoption of Bill C-18, also known as the Online News Act, the company that owns Facebook, Meta Platforms issued an announcement along the same lines the previous week.
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The media industry in Canada has demanded that internet companies be subject to stricter regulation in order to assist news organizations to recoup financial losses that they have incurred as a result of Facebook and Google gaining a larger portion of the online advertising market in recent years.
The independent budgetary watchdog in Canada predicted last year that media companies may get approximately 330 million Canadian dollars ($249 million) year through arrangements mandated by the legislation.
The Heritage Minister, Pablo Rodriguez, who was responsible for the introduction of the bill the previous year, has stated that the platforms are under no immediate duties as a result of the legislation, and that the government is willing to speak with them over the regulation and implementation process.
Facebook and Google have hinted for several months that they may cease providing news in Canada if the act is not altered. Both companies stated that the plans would be unsustainable for their businesses.
The federal government of Canada has rejected suggestions that modifications be made, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused the firms in June of engaging in “bullying tactics.”
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According to a statement released by Rodriguez on Thursday, “Big Tech would rather spend money to change their platforms to block Canadians from accessing good quality and local news instead of paying their fair share to news organizations,”
This demonstrates how completely irresponsible and out of touch they are, especially considering the fact that they make billions of money off of the people in Canada.
Kent Walker, head of worldwide affairs at Google, stated in a blog post that the law is still ineffective and that the firm does not believe that the regulatory process would be able to overcome “structural issues with the legislation.” Walker made these comments in reference to the bill.
According to Walker, “We have now informed the government that in the unfortunate event that the law is enacted, we will be required to remove links to Canadian news from our Search, News, and Discover products in Canada.”
When the rules for their implementation are completed, the news sources that will be impacted by Google’s decision will be determined based on the definition of “eligible news businesses” provided by the government.
Additionally, Google is going to put a stop to its News Showcase program in Canada. Under this initiative, the business has agreements with 150 different news outlets located all throughout the country. Google has hired Reuters under a deal to develop News Showcase panels across the world, including in Canada.
The law requires internet platforms to enter into negotiations with different news publishers and pay for the content that these publishers provide. Following the passage of a law like this in Australia in 2021, Google and Facebook issued threats that they would reduce the quality of their services. After the amendments were made to the Act, both parties reached agreements with Australian media businesses.
Google has stated that the law in Canada is more expansive than the laws in Australia and Europe. The company claims that the law places a price on news story links that are displayed in search results and that it can apply to sources that do not create news.
The large search engine has suggested that the presenting of news content, as opposed to links, should be the foundation for payment, and that the only firms that are qualified to participate are those who produce news in accordance with journalistic standards.
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