Meta confirms it will block access to news on Facebook and Instagram in Canada

The Canadian Senate passed a law requiring tech companies to pay media outlets if they want to include their content on their platforms.

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Rosana Rábago Sainz

23 de junio, 2023

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Meta will make good on its threat and block access to news feeds on Facebook and Instagram in Canada. The U.S.'s northern neighbor introduced a law in early May requiring tech companies such as Google and Meta to pay media outlets if they want to include their content on their platforms.

Both companies reacted to the threat and assured that they would prevent users from accessing the news via their services. The Canadian Parliament went ahead with the proposal and approved it on Thursday. Meta's response was not long in coming. A spokesperson for the company led by Mark Zuckerberg issued a statement assuring that they would block access to news in Canada:

We have repeatedly shared that in order to comply with Bill C-18, passed today in Parliament, content from news outlets, including news publishers and broadcasters, will no longer be available to people accessing our platforms in Canada. We confirm that the availability of news feeds on Facebook and Instagram will be ended for all users in Canada before the Online News Feed Act comes into force.

Google has not yet confirmed whether it will also block access to news on its platforms. It did join the statements made by the Facebook and Instagram parent company last May but did not yet disclose whether or not it will follow through with its plans.