Google has revealed intentions to remove Canadian news content from its search engine and other products when a law forcing major internet platforms to pay news publishers in Canada takes effect.
Google stated on Thursday that Bill C-18, also known as the Online News Act, which was passed in Canada last week, “remains unworkable”.
“We have now informed the Government that when the law takes effect, we unfortunately will have to remove links to Canadian news from our Search, News and Discover products in Canada,” the company said.
“We’re disappointed it has come to this. We don’t take this decision or its impacts lightly and believe it’s important to be transparent with Canadian publishers and our users as early as possible.”
The decision could have a devastating impact on Canadian news organizations, many of which are already experiencing financial difficulties and have recently been subjected to a number of rounds of layoffs.
In response to the new legislation, Meta Platforms Inc. also announced last week that it would restrict access to news for Canadian users on its platforms, including Facebook and Instagram.
“Today, we are confirming that news availability will be ended on Facebook and Instagram for all users in Canada prior to the Online News Act taking effect,” Meta said in a statement after the law was adopted on June 22.
Bill C-18, which is anticipated to take effect in six months, has been defended by the Canadian government as part of its initiative to ensure “fair revenue sharing between digital platforms and news outlets”.
The act lays out regulations to compel online platforms to negotiate business deals and pay news publishers for their content, a move similar to a ground-breaking law passed in Australia in 2021.
“Thanks to the Online News Act, newsrooms across the country will now be able to negotiate fairly for compensation when their work appears on the biggest digital platforms,” Minister of Canadian Heritage Pablo Rodriguez said in a statement this month.
“It levels the playing field by putting the power of big tech in check and ensuring that even our smallest news business can benefit through this regime and receive fair compensation for their work.”
However, the major US tech companies claim that the proposals will not be viable for their industries.
Google has argued that Canada’s law is more expansive than those in Australia and Europe because it places a cost on news story links that are displayed in search results and can apply to sources that do not produce news.
The new legislation was the subject of “ongoing” discussions with Google, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters on Wednesday.
“It is important that we find a way to ensure that Canadians can continue to access content in all sorts of different ways – but that also we protect rigorous, independent journalism that has a foundational role in our democracies,” Trudeau said.
“We know democracy only works with a strong, independent, diverse media and we will continue standing up for that.”
Source-Aljazeera
