As wildfires raged in the Northwest Territories, top leaders in Canada urged Meta to reverse its ban on sharing news articles on Facebook and Instagram. Meta implemented the ban in June after Canada passed a law allowing news organizations to negotiate payment for articles shared on social media platforms. Canadian authorities, who rely on social media for disseminating news in remote areas, expressed their frustration at not being able to access crucial information during the ongoing emergency. Pablo Rodriguez, Canada’s transportation minister, called Meta’s actions “unacceptable” and requested the company to restore access to news on its platforms.
The wildfires in western Canada prompted evacuation orders to expand, with officials declaring a state of emergency in Kelowna. The ban by Meta has hindered access to vital information for Canadians facing this crisis. Meta has been engaged in a long-running battle against regulatory proposals worldwide that aim to ensure social media companies share revenue with news publishers. While Meta argues that the revenue derived from news content is overstated, supporters of regulation believe that social media platforms benefit significantly from news articles and should contribute to the media industry.
During the wildfires, the impact of Meta’s news ban became evident, as officials and residents alike struggled to obtain timely information. Catherine Tait, the president and CEO of CBC and Radio-Canada, emphasized the crucial role that social networks play in reaching residents in affected areas, especially younger populations. She likened the ban to having essential means of communication taken away. Tait called on Meta to reverse the ban until the wildfires subside.
Meta spokesperson Andy Stone stated that people in Canada can still use their technologies to access reputable information from official government agencies, emergency services, and NGOs. However, Danielle Coffey, President of the News/Media Alliance, urged Meta to lift the ban in light of the ongoing crisis. Coffey highlighted the contrast between newspapers voluntarily removing paywalls during the pandemic and Meta selectively withholding news and critical information for business reasons.
Meta has previously threatened to remove news from its platforms in response to similar regulatory proposals in Australia and California. The Australian law has successfully redirected substantial funds to news outlets from Meta and Google. In Washington, lawmakers have also explored the possibility of allowing publishers to negotiate with tech giants under a temporary exemption to antitrust law. However, neither the California proposal nor the antitrust bill has been passed yet.
Tait criticized Meta’s decision to prioritize news less on its platforms, emphasizing that it remains a priority for users. As the crisis persists, Canadian leaders and news organizations continue to advocate for the reinstatement of news sharing on Meta’s social media platforms.
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