No News Is Not Good News: Google Blocks News Content for Some Canadians
Lucas Nolan
In response to the “Online News Act” legislation that Justin Trudeau’s government introduced in April, Google is currently testing blocking access to news content for some Canadian users.
Reuters reports that the “Online News Acts” will require platforms like Google and Facebook to compensate news publishers for their content. The tech giant acknowledged that the tests “limit the visibility of Canadian and international news to varying degrees.” and affect a random sample of about four percent of Canadian users.
The “Online News Act,” or House of Commons Bill C-18, was introduced in April 2021 by Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government. It outlined guidelines to compel social media giants Google and Facebook to bargain for business deals and compensate news publishers for their content. The bill has the backing of the Canadian news media sector, which has recently experienced financial losses due to the dominance of Google and Facebook in the advertising market.
In Canada, a potential response to the government’s online news bill is currently being tested; however, the action may have repercussions for other nations. The test results might affect Google’s and other tech giants’ reactions to legislation of a similar nature in other countries.