Meta to test blocking news on Facebook, Instagram in Canada this month
Some Canadians’ Facebook feeds might look a little different thanks to a test Meta is conducting this month.
The tech company that owns Instagram and Facebook announced on Thursday that it’s preparing to block news on the social media apps for randomly selected users in the country.
This is in response to controversial legislation introduced by the Liberal government called Bill C-18, or the Online News Act.
“As we prepare to comply with the legislation, we are announcing today that we will begin tests on both platforms that will limit some users and publishers from viewing or sharing some news content in Canada,” reads a statement from Meta.
The bill, which is currently being assessed by the Senate, will require tech giants like Meta and Google to pay news organizations for linking to or repurposing their content online.
If the legislation is officially passed into law, Meta says it intends to permanently block content from news outlets, including news publishers and broadcasters, on Facebook and Instagram.
The government says the bill could be enacted this month, so before your Facebook feed completely changes, here’s what you should know about the test.
Who will be affected?
According to Meta, only a small percentage of Canadian Instagram and Facebook users will be enrolled in testing.
In terms of the news organizations that will be impacted, the tech company says the test will affect outlets within and outside of Canada. So outlets like Daily Hive, CBC, CTV,Ā The New York Times,Ā and more are all on the table.
“Meta is identifying news outlets on our platforms based on the current language of Bill C-18,” reads a news release. “As drafted, the legislation states that news outlets are in scope if they primarily report on, investigate or explain current issues or events of public interest.”
How will the test work?
Randomly selected users will not be able to view or share news content on Facebook or Instagram. This could include formats like Instagram Reels, links to news articles, and Facebook or Instagram stories.
Meta says news organizations will continue to have access to their accounts and pages and will be able to post content. However, some of that will not be viewable in Canada.
Outlets will still have access to the Meta Business Suite and advertising tools.
What’s the government’s response?
Canadian Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez responded to Meta’s move in a tweet.
“The fact that Facebook is still refusing to work with Canadians shows how deeply irresponsible and out of touch they are,” he wrote. “Once again this is a disappointing move from big tech and Canadians will not be intimidated by these tactics.”
The fact that Facebook is still refusing to work with Canadians shows how deeply irresponsible and out of touch they are.
Once again this is a disappointing move from big tech and Canadians will not be intimidated by these tactics. https://t.co/QUswlvUZQz
ā Pablo Rodriguez (@pablorodriguez) June 2, 2023
The tech giant is following suit after Google blocked news links for about five weeks earlier this year for some Canadian users.
“As we have repeatedly shared, the Online News Act is fundamentally flawed legislation that ignores the realities of how our platforms work, the preferences of the people who use them, and the value we provide news publishers,” reiterated Meta. “As the Minister of Canadian Heritage has said, how we choose to comply with the legislation is a business decision we must make, and we have made our choice.”
What do you think of Meta’s decision?
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