Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has begun actively blocking news links and sharing on its platforms in Canada, following the enactment of Bill C-18, the Online News Act. This move confirms what supporters of the bill had previously dismissed as a bluff by Meta. The blocking process is expected to take several weeks to roll out fully and will result in the complete removal of news links, Canadian and foreign, from the platforms. The implementation of the bill is seen as a major setback for the media sector in Canada, with potential losses running into the hundreds of millions of dollars. The government’s handling of the situation has been criticized, as it disregarded warning signs and failed to have a backup plan. Canadian media outlets are now scrambling to find alternate channels to promote their content. Overall, the blocking of news links on Meta’s platforms creates a lose-lose situation for Canadian media, internet platforms, individual users, and the government itself.
https://www.michaelgeist.ca/2023/08/metablockslinks/