After Facebook, Google will block news in Canada because of new news law

Specifically, Google said it would remove links to Canadian news from its search results and other products in Canada when the law takes effect in about six months. Facebook owner Meta made a similar announcement last week after the Online News Act was passed and is about to take effect.

Photo: Reuters

Canada's media industry has called for tighter regulation of tech giants after being squeezed out of the online advertising market by Facebook and Google for years.

Canada's independent budget watchdog estimated last year that news organizations could receive about C$330 million ($249 million) a year from deals required under the new law.

Canadian Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez, who proposed the bill last year, said platforms have no immediate obligations under the act and the government is willing to consult with them on implementation and regulatory processes.

Facebook and Google have said the proposals are unsustainable for their businesses and have repeatedly threatened to stop providing news in Canada unless the law is changed. The Canadian government has rejected the proposed changes, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in June accusing the companies of using “bullying tactics.”

“Big tech would rather spend money changing their platforms to block Canadians from accessing good quality, local news than pay their fair share to news organizations,” Rodriguez added.

“This shows how irresponsible and deeply uncooperative they are, especially when they are making billions of dollars off Canadian users,” he added.

Google’s president of global affairs, Kent Walker, said in a blog post that the law remains unenforceable. “We have now informed the government that when the law comes into effect, we will regretfully have to remove links to Canadian news from our Google Search, News and Discover products in Canada,” Walker said.

The news organizations affected by Google's decision are among those defined by the Canadian government as "eligible news businesses" covered under the new legislation.

Google will also end its News Showcase program in Canada, where it had deals with 150 news publications across the country, including news giant Reuters.

The Online News Act forces online technology platforms to negotiate with news publishers and pay for their content. A similar law passed in Australia in 2021 prompted Google and Facebook to threaten to cut off their services. Both giants later reached agreements with Australian media companies after the law was amended.

Google has argued that the Canadian law is broader than those in Australia and Europe, saying it sets a price for any news links displayed in search results, meaning it could apply to organizations that don't directly produce news.

As a result, the search engine giant has proposed that it should charge for displaying news content, rather than links, and that only news organizations that publish news according to journalistic standards would be eligible to receive money.

Hoang Anh (according to Reuters)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/sau-facebook-den-luot-google-se-chan-tin-tuc-o-canada-vi-luat-tin-tuc-moi-post254301.html