(Tiper Stock Exchange) – Facebook and Instagram ready to block access to Canadian media posts, according to their parent company Meta, in response to a law just passed in Canada which forces internet giants to pay to publish local media content. The new law, strongly criticized by the two giants of the Silicon Valleyaims to support the information sector in Canada which, according to the minister, is “in crisis”.
“Today we confirm that news content will no longer be available on Facebook and Instagram for all users in Canada,” Meta said in a statement, noting that it had “repeatedly” warned that this action would be taken.
“If the government can’t defend Canadians from web giants, who will?” said Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez. Facebook didn’t have “no obligation” di stop this access, as the law had not yet formally gone into effect, he added. The minister’s office also stressed that it “met with Facebook and Google this week” and remained open to further negotiations. The new law requires digital giants to enter into fair trade agreements with Canadian media for publications shared on their platforms, or risk having to resort to binding arbitration.
Last month, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau criticized Meta for blocking some Canadians’ access to online information during trials, saying the company was “deeply irresponsible and out of this worldby refusing to pay journalists for their work.