If you didn’t already know, last week the Canada Online News Act went into effect. This particular act is set to anger certain big tech companies with new promoting platforms. Google, one of these big tech companies, is already showing how angry it is by blocking Canadian local news from its platform.
Well, Google is not the only one taking this stand, as Meta is also set to do something similar. However, this bill is set to take effect in about six months, giving these tech firms time to adjust. So why is it already getting some backlash months before it takes full effect?
The response from Google and Meta alike is a result of the requirement of this said bill. Both tech firms are totally against the idea that this bill is pushing and aren’t willing to collaborate. Google has called this bill “unworkable” and they are not considering giving it a second thought. Let’s now delve a bit into the details of the Canada Online News Act and why it’s getting on the nerves of big tech firms.
Canada Online News Act doesn’t sit well with Google and can affect local news circulation
With the Online News Act, Canada demands that big tech firms with new promoting platforms pay news providers. This sounds like a bill will favor lots of Canadian news outlets since they’d get paid for their news. But big tech firms with news promoting platforms like Google don’t find this request sensible.
Kicking against this bill, Google is now blocking Canadian news outlets from their platform. This action from Google is detrimental to not only the news outlets as businesses but also the Canadian government. You might be wondering how this will affect news outlets in Canada, as well as the country’s government.
Well, Google accounts for the majority of the news traffic within Canada as well as other regions. News outlets rely on Google’s platforms to make the news they carry reach the public. Also, the government relies on most of Google’s platforms to get information out to their citizens faster.
So by blocking Canadian news on its platform, Google is making things a bit tight for citizens of this country. Meta is also planning to do the same and restrict the flow of Canadian news on its platforms. These two platforms are only doing this to fight against the bill that doesn’t favor their businesses.
There is no telling how long Google will keep Canadian news out of its platforms. But there is a need for the parties involved in the making of this bill to reach an agreement with Google and Meta concerning this matter. More information on this matter will be made available in the coming weeks.
2023-07-01 15:09:00