Google joins Facebook in blocking links to Canadian media sites
Google has announced that it will remove links to social networks in Canada. That’s because of a law recently passed in that country that obliges web giants to pay to associate local media content.
Google’s decision marks a failure in negotiations with the federal government and thus joins Meta, which recently announced that Facebook, and Instagram, will also block access to Canadian media publications. Search giant will no longer be able to operate the News Showcase in Canada, a kind of showcase for the daily editorial output of the local media. “We are disappointed to have come to this. We are not taking this decision or its consequences lightly,” he added, adding that the measure will come into effect within a few months, at which point the law will come into effect.
This law “will make it more difficult for Canadians to find information online, it will prevent journalists from reaching their audience”, said the leader.
Google “turns off the tap” in Canada
New legislation requires web giants to enter into fair trade agreements with Canadian media for posts shared on their platforms, or risk resorting to mandatory arbitration. For Google, the government’s decision to price links creates “uncertainty for our products and exposes us to unlimited financial debt”. According to Canada, the new measure aims to support the country’s news sector, where more than 450 news outlets have closed since 2008.
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