Tech giant Meta announced on Thursday that it will temporarily block some Canadian users from accessing news content on Facebook and Instagram as part of a temporary test that will run until the end of June.
This blocking decision came in response to a bill by the Canadian government that would require tech giants to pay publishers to link to or otherwise reuse news content online.
The blocking started yesterday and the Canadian Minister of Culture criticized Meta’s move.
Bill C-18, known as the Online News Act, is currently under discussion in the Senate and could go into effect by the end of this month. Meta also said it is ready to permanently block Canadians from accessing news content on Facebook and Instagram if the bill passes.
Currently, randomly selected Canadian users will not be able to view or share Canadian news content on Instagram or Facebook. The blocking can include news links to articles, short-form videos, or photos and videos that disappear after 24 hours. If the content of international news companies such as the New York Times or the BBC is chosen randomly, they may be blocked in Canada during testing.
Canadian Culture Minister Pablo Rodriguez described Meta’s move as “disappointing” and said Canadians would not be intimidated by these tactics. Last week, it was stated that this test will begin. It was also stated by Meta that if the law is passed, the access ban will be permanent.
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