Facebook declares suspension of news distribution after enactment of `` bill to return profits from news distribution to news organizations ''

On Facebook and Instagram, 'Measures to hide news from Canadian users' started on Thursday, June 22, 2023. Facebook and Instagram's support for hiding news is due to the establishment of new laws related to online news in Canada, and major platforms such as Google may also implement news hiding support.

C-18 (44-1) - LEGISinfo - Parliament of Canada
https://www.parl.ca/LegisInfo/en/bill/44-1/c-18

Changes to News Availability on Our Platforms in Canada | Meta
https://about.fb.com/news/2023/06/changes-to-news-availability-on-our-platforms-in-canada/

Canadians will no longer have access to news content on Facebook and Instagram, Meta says | CBC News
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/online-news-act-meta-facebook-1.6885634

Showdown with Google, Meta over news-blocking imminent | National Post
https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/showdown-looming-as-online-news-bill-is-about-to-become-law

In June 2023, the online news-related bill 'C-18', which was being discussed in the Canadian Parliament, was enacted in both houses of Congress, and on June 22, 2023, the 'royal assent' necessary for the bill to come into effect was given. I was. C-18 is a law that obliges operators of online platforms to return `` profit obtained by distributing news within the platform '' to the news distributor, and Meta, which operates Facebook and Instagram, has been deliberating the bill. 'If the bill is passed, we will stop distributing news in Canada,' he said, expressing his opposition to the bill.

Meta opposes the Canadian bill ``If you publish news, divide the revenue''-GIGAZINE

Meta also published a blog on June 1, 2023, stating that ``If C-18 is enacted, users using Facebook and Instagram in Canada will not be able to access content created by news organizations.'' emphasized the opposition of And after the bill was passed on June 22, 2023, he updated the blog, stating, 'Today, we have confirmed that we will be discontinuing the provision of news to all Facebook and Instagram users in Canada.' , We are starting a test to hide the news, and a small number of users in Canada are unable to access the news, ”he said, revealing that the news distribution is being stopped in stages.

In response to reports that Meta has stopped distributing news in Canada, Canada's Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez said, ``Facebook seems to understand that there are no obligations under C-18 at this time. The government will go through the process of regulation and enforcement with royal assent to the C-18.If the government can't stand up to big tech companies on behalf of the people, who will stand up?' C We are emphasizing our willingness to proceed with the procedures for the entry into force of -18.

Facebook knows very well that they have no obligations under the act right now. Following Royal Assent of Bill #C18 , the Government will engage in a regulatory and implementation process.

If the Government can't stand up for Canadians against tech giants, who will? https://t.co/2yXWE0tELi

— Pablo Rodriguez (@pablorodriguez) June 22, 2023

Regarding C-18, if Google attends a Senate committee during the deliberation of the bill, and if C-18 is enacted, it will create an environment that emphasizes quantity rather than quality of articles. He proposed an amendment to the bill, saying, 'Adjustment of search result display ranking will be restricted, and malicious content will be displayed at the top of search results.' A Google spokesperson said on June 22, 2023, 'The C-18 is about to become law, but none of our concerns have been addressed. We will continue to work with the government to keep moving forward.' I will continue to do so, ”he said, expressing his dissatisfaction with the bill.

In addition, the construction of a mechanism to ``return the profits obtained from news distribution to the press''is progressing not only in Canada but also in Australia and other countries, and Facebook banned the posting of news articles in February 2021. However, it has since changed its policy and removed restrictions on news sharing.

Facebook reverses news distribution suspension in Australia to restore content - GIGAZINE

Also, Google was planning to change news distribution in Australia, but has started paying news usage fees to news organizations according to government-established rules.

It is also pointed out that Google started paying news usage fees to some news organizations in Australia and returned the palm immediately after hinting at service suspension-GIGAZINE