Close X
Sunday, November 10, 2024
ADVT 
National

News publishers, broadcasters call for investigation into Meta's news blocking

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 08 Aug, 2023 12:11 PM
  • News publishers, broadcasters call for investigation into Meta's news blocking

The broadcasters and publishers allege Meta is abusing its dominant position, and they want the Bureau to make it reverse course.   

A group of Canadian news publishers and broadcasters are calling on Canada's Competition Bureau to investigate and prohibit Metafrom blocking news content on its digital platforms.

Social media giant Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, has said it will begin blocking news on its platforms in Canada starting Tuesday after the Canadian government passed a bill forcing Google and Meta to pay publishers for content they link to or repurpose.

News Media Canada, the Canadian Association of Broadcasters and CBC said in a joint statement they have filed a request to the Competition Bureau to investigate Meta’s "abuse of its dominant position."

They said the practices of the social media giant are "anticompetitive" as they will prevent Canadian news companies from accessing the advertising market and significantly reduce their visibility to Canadians on social media platforms.

“Meta’s conduct will inevitably diminish Canadian news consumers’ exposure to news content and the volume of traffic to Canadian news organizations’ websites, thereby impairing their ability to compete for revenue from online advertising and from their readers," the three said in a news release.

The news publishers and broadcasters said they are calling on the Competition Bureau to use its prosecutorial tools to prohibit Metafrom blocking Canadians’ access to news content. 

Asked to respond to the application, Meta spokeswoman Lisa Laventure pointed to the company's previous comments on the Online News Act, also known as Bill C-18, where it has said the law is built on a flawed premise that leads it to block news.

"The only way we can reasonably comply with this legislation is to end news availability for people in Canada," the company said.

Meta had previously been blocking news content for some users in Canada but the move is set to extend to all Canadians on Tuesday. Canadians will no longer be able to view or post news on Facebook or Instagram and news organizations will start to see their stories blocked on those platforms.

The company noted that Canadians can still access news online by going directly to news publishers' websites or using their mobile news apps. 

Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge said in a statement that Metadoes not yet have obligations under the Online News Act. The government is still developing regulations for the law that is set to come into effect by the end of the year.

St-Onge said the company has not participated in the regulatory process.

"They would rather block their users from accessing good quality and local news instead of paying their fair share to news organizations," she said.

MORE National ARTICLES

Shooting in Richmond leaves one dead

Shooting in Richmond leaves one dead
A shooting in Richmond  has left one man dead, and police are investigating whether a nearby car fire is related to the case. Richmond RCMP were called to Milner Road at Blundell Road at 5:45 p.m. Thursday for reports of a shooting.  

Shooting in Richmond leaves one dead

3 arrested in Surrey SkyTrain attack

3 arrested in Surrey SkyTrain attack
Surrey transit police say the investigation of an attack on three men near a Surrey SkyTrain station has led to three arrests. Police say the alleged unprovoked stabbing attack on three men happened the evening of June 21st.  

3 arrested in Surrey SkyTrain attack

Let's make a deal, Canada urges U.S. amid latest 'baseless' softwood lumber duties

Let's make a deal, Canada urges U.S. amid latest 'baseless' softwood lumber duties
International Trade Minister Mary Ng is making the overture after a fresh U.S. Commerce Department review maintained duties on softwood imports from Canada. Ng says the duties, while modestly lower, remain an unfair, baseless and punitive measure that hurts the economy on both sides of the border. 

Let's make a deal, Canada urges U.S. amid latest 'baseless' softwood lumber duties

B.C. police share photos of vehicles possibly being used in alleged abduction of kids

B.C. police share photos of vehicles possibly being used in alleged abduction of kids
Mounties in Surrey say they continue to investigate leads and tips in their search for eight-year-old Aurora Bolton and her 10-year-old brother Joshuah, who were allegedly abducted by their mother Verity Bolton earlier this month. 

B.C. police share photos of vehicles possibly being used in alleged abduction of kids

B.C. RCMP arrest Surrey massage therapist on multiple sex assaults

B.C. RCMP arrest Surrey massage therapist on multiple sex assaults
A massage therapist is facing multiple sexual assault charges for what police in Surrey, B.C., say are allegations that span a 16-year period. RCMP say they first received a report in November 2021 about alleged sexual assaults occurring in 2016 and 2017 involving massage therapist Leonard Krekic.  

B.C. RCMP arrest Surrey massage therapist on multiple sex assaults

Williams Lake Mountie charged three years after car crash with suspect

Williams Lake Mountie charged three years after car crash with suspect
The prosecution service says the Mountie faces charges of assault with a weapon, assault causing bodily harm, criminal negligence and dangerous driving. Prosecutors say the charges against Const. Madeline Hjelden stem from an on-duty motor vehicle incident in Williams Lake, B.C., that occurred in May 2020. 

Williams Lake Mountie charged three years after car crash with suspect