Canadian news publishers, broadcasters call for investigation into Meta’s news blocking

A group of Canadian news publishers and broadcasters have called on the Canadian competition bureau to investigate social media giant Meta’s decision to block news news content from its digital platforms in Canada.

In a joint statement released Tuesday, News Media Canada, the Canadian Association of Broadcasters and CBC/Radio-Canada said Meta’s practices will prevent Canadian news companies from accessing the advertising market, significantly reducing their visibility to Canadians on social media platforms.

Meta started the process of blocking news content for some Canadian users in June, in response to the country’s Online News Act or Bill C-18, that requires big tech companies like Meta and Google to pay media outlets for news content they share on their platforms.

Meta is set to extend the ban to all Canadians today, meaning that users in Canada will no longer be able to view or share news content on Facebook and Instagram.

The statement by Canadian news organizations has called the move ‘anticompetitive,’ and requested Competition Bureau to protect competition and “prohibit Meta from continuing to block Canadians’ access to news content.”

Rahat Sandhu