Google is following suit with Meta in dumping all the Canadian news content on it’s platforms, citing the new Online News Act the country enacted this week.
The law effectively forces internet companies to pay Canadian news publications for using their content across their platforms. But since Google has warned that it’s unworkable, it’s delisting all the links to Canadian news outlets in Search, News and Discover.
Canada’s Controversial News Act
With the Canadian parliament passing it’s Online News Act this week, Google turned off all the news links belonging to Canadian news outlets from it’s Search, News and Discover products. This comes after repeated warnings from the tech giant, which cried the new bill is unworkable even with amendments.
To the unknown, Canada’s Online News Act will force internet companies to pay local news publications for serving their content. Though the Canadian government advocates that it’ll help provide fair compensation to struggling news outlets, the tech giants are arguing otherwise.
Meta has already blocked the local news content for Canadians on Facebook and Instagram this week and Google is following suit now. Pulling the new plug for Canadians, Google’s president of global affairs, Kent Walker, said;
“We have been saying for over a year that this is the wrong approach to supporting journalism in Canada and may result in significant product changes.”
A similar bill was passed by Australia last year, forcing Meta and Google to act accordingly but both companies argued against such, but eventually agreed to compensate the local news publishers – after the Australian government amended the law.
In Canada, the Online News Act could earn up to $248 million per year for the local news organisations if complied with by the respective internet parties. Well, as Google and Meta chose the extreme solution, we wait to see if any favourable amendments may change their mind in the future.
Other Trending News:- News
