Tag: blocking

In Canada, Meta Begins Blocking News on Facebook and Instagram

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Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram, has started blocking news articles on its social networking services in Canada.

The change, in response to a new law in Canada that requires tech companies to pay news outlets for using their content, will roll out “over the course of the next few weeks,” Meta said in a blog post on Tuesday. Content posted on Facebook and Instagram by both local Canadian news outlets and international outlets will not be visible to Canadians using the platforms.

Canada passed the Online News Act in June, joining a push by numerous governments to force big social media companies to compensate news organizations. The Canadian bill requires the platforms and search engines to negotiate with news publishers to license their content.

Meta had previously signaled that it would block news access in response to the Canadian law. In a blog post, the company said the Online News Act “misrepresents the value news outlets receive when choosing to use our platforms.”

“The legislation is based on the incorrect premise that Meta benefits unfairly from news content shared on our platforms, when the reverse is true,” the blog post said, arguing that news outlets “voluntarily” share content to expand their audiences. Meta said it had generated traffic for publishers in a 12-month period to April 2022 that it valued at more than 230 million Canadian dollars.

Pascale St-Onge, the country’s minister for Canadian heritage, described Meta’s actions as “irresponsible.”

“They would rather block their users from accessing good quality and local news instead of paying their fair share to news organizations,” Ms. St-Onge said in a statement on Twitter.

Ms. St-Onge said the Canadian government would stand its ground with the new legislation.

“Facebook is trying to send a message, not only to Canada, but to other

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Google making ‘terrible mistake’ in blocking Canadian news: Trudeau

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‘It really surprises me that Google has decided that they’d rather prevent Canadians from accessing news than actually paying journalists for the work they do’

Published Feb 24, 2023  •  Last updated Feb 24, 2023  •  4 minute read

Earlier this week, Google was “testing potential product responses to Bill C-18” by blocking news stories from showing up in some Canadian’s search results and in its
Earlier this week, Google was “testing potential product responses to Bill C-18” by blocking news stories from showing up in some Canadian’s search results and in its “discover” feature on Android devices. Photo by Clay McLachlan/Reuters/File

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau criticized Google on Friday for blocking some Canadians’ access to news content in search results in response to Bill C-18, the proposed legislation that would force Google to share revenues with news publishers.

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Google tests blocking of news sites in response to Canada’s online news bill

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Google says it is blocking some Canadian users from viewing news content in response to the Liberal government’s controversial online news bill.Michel Euler/The Associated Press

Google is testing ways of blocking Canadians’ access to news websites in response to the federal government’s online news bill, which would force the company and other tech giants to compensate news organizations for using their work.

The restricted access to global and Canadian news sites, which began earlier this month, will continue for five weeks, according to Google spokesman Shay Purdy.

Mr. Purdy said Google is “briefly testing product responses” to the bill, and that the tests will affect less than 4 per cent of Canadians using the search engine. “We run thousands of tests each year to assess any potential changes to Search,” he added.

But the office of federal Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez sharply condemned the move, saying Canadians won’t be intimidated by the tactic.

Laura Scaffidi, a spokeswoman for Mr. Rodriguez, accused Google of imitating Facebook, which in October said it would not rule out blocking Canadians’ access to news if the online news legislation, known as Bill C-18, passes without changes.

In Australia, in 2021, Facebook temporarily blocked access to news on its platforms in response to a similar law. Australians woke up to find that Facebook pages with local and world news sites were unavailable.

The platform lifted the ban days later, after an Australian minister held talks with Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg, and agreed to make amendments to the bill.

“It’s disappointing to hear that Google seems to be borrowing from Facebook’s playbook. This didn’t work in Australia, and it won’t work here because Canadians won’t be intimidated,” Ms. Scaffidi said. “At the end of the day, all we’re asking the tech giants to do is

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Google sending top execs to testify in Canada about news blocking

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OTTAWA — Google stated it will volunteer some of its major executives to testify at a parliamentary committee that is researching the steps of the Silicon Valley big right after it ran a five-week check that blocked news one-way links to some of its Canadian consumers.

The examination was intended to evaluate the effects of a likely response to Monthly bill C-18, the Liberal government’s Online Information Act.

The examination finished Thursday.

Google claimed they have notified the heritage committee that it will voluntarily make their president of world affairs and main lawful officer, Kent Walker, and vice-president of information, Richard Gingras, obtainable to fulfill with the committee. A date has however to be scheduled.

“We generally purpose to function constructively with Canadian parliamentarians and the Federal government of Canada on regulatory troubles,” a spokesperson for Google claimed in a statement.

Walker and Gingras didn’t reply to a summons by the committee earlier this thirty day period.

The head of Google Canada, Sabrina Geremia, appeared in their position, but Google explained it recognizes that MPs on the committee continue to have inquiries that they wish to have answered.

Liberal MPs have not long ago expressed their displeasure with Google and Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram.
On Feb. 9, Google started off its 5-week exam that restricted news access to less than 4 for each cent of its Canadian customers. Impacted people ended up prevented from seeing news links on Google’s search engine and Learn panel on Android telephones.

The organization has stated the test utilized to information of all sorts, which includes content material created by Canadian broadcasters and newspapers.

Meta also introduced previous week it would block information on Facebook and Instagram if the government’s proposed On-line News Act passes in its

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Google executives summoned by Canada MPs right after blocking information material in excess of ‘link tax’ | Canada

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Canadian lawmakers have demanded Google executives surface before a parliamentary committee to testify just after the search motor began eliminating hyperlinks to information posts for some Canadians in reaction to a proposed regulation to make the system pay out for republishing news material.

Very last 7 days, Google began blocking back links to information tales, the two by its search results and its “discover” function for almost 4% of the inhabitants, a examination the firm reported would past for 5 months. The firm framed the blocking as a sequence of “tests” intended to greater fully grasp the implications of the controversial monthly bill.

“It seriously surprises me that Google has resolved that they would alternatively avert Canadians from accessing information than really spending journalists for the perform they do,” primary minister Justin Trudeau explained in response. “I feel which is a awful miscalculation and I know that Canadians assume journalists to be very well paid out for the work they do.”

The federal government’s On-line News Act, or monthly bill C-18, would compel Google and Facebook mum or dad business Meta to signal promotions with a vast assortment of Canadian information publishers to compensate them the two for republishing their content and for indexing it. Google has identified as C-18 a “link tax” and senior administration have said the invoice pushes the debate above compensation in the “wrong direction”.

Some experts warned the government’s technique could backfire and drive the corporations to retreat from the Canadian current market.

The Canadian parliament’s heritage committee has now summoned Sundar Pichai, head of both equally Google and parent firm Alphabet, as effectively as chief lawful officer Kent Walker, vice-president of information Richard Gingras and Canada country manager Sabrina Geremia to appear on Monday in Ottawa. Lawmakers have also ordered the enterprise to

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MPs summon Google CEO to Ottawa for blocking information obtain for some Canadians – Enterprise Information

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UPDATE 11:20 a.m.

The CEO of Google and other top executives are being summoned to surface in advance of a parliamentary committee following the corporation made the decision to briefly block some Canadians from accessing news as a result of its research engine.

They are predicted to testify at a conference of the Dwelling of Commons heritage committee on Monday.

The committee is also requesting documents linked to Google’s news ban.

Google verified to The Canadian Press past 7 days that it is operating a short-lived test to restrict access to information on its look for motor for significantly less than four for each cent of Canadian people, in reaction to the Liberal government’s proposed On the web News Act.

Invoice C-18 would have to have electronic giants this kind of as Google to negotiate promotions that would compensate Canadian media companies for linking to or normally repurposing their written content on the net.

“It truly is troubling that Google was carrying out this in magic formula, but was caught by the push,” Liberal MP Chris Bittle claimed to the committee. His movement to summon the Google executives was unanimously supported by opposition MPs.

“It really is vital for Parliament to acquire a search and see what Google is doing. I you should not specifically like their observe record on this.”

The summons applies to CEO Sundar Pichai, as nicely as Kent Walker, president of world wide affairs, Richard Gingras, vice-president of news, and Sabrina Geremia, vice president and state supervisor for Google in Canada.

The House of Commons won’t have the ability to summon men and women who are living exterior of Canada, but associates of Parliament who provide on the committee want to consider the opportunity.

Must the four people not display up, the

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Media advocate says Google is ‘bullying’ Canadians in briefly blocking information

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OTTAWA – Advocates for the print and electronic media sector are pushing again from Google, which they consider is bullying Canadians by restricting obtain to on line news as portion of a combat with Ottawa.

“Canadians are going see this as a international firm that is bullying Canadians, and I never consider that this is heading to go above nicely,” claimed Paul Deegan, president for Information Media Canada, which signifies hundreds of publications throughout Canada.

Google confirmed on Wednesday that it is blocking accessibility to on the internet news for less than 4 for every cent of its Canadian end users, in what the business describes as limited-lived take a look at in response to the Liberal government’s On the web News Act.

Monthly bill C-18 would need digital giants this kind of as Google and Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, to negotiate promotions to compensate Canadian media corporations for displaying or providing hyperlinks to their news articles.

Greater media businesses have praised the invoice as a way to build a degree playing area in opposition to Google and Facebook, which compete with them for promotion pounds. Tech companies have pushed again versus the invoice, arguing it is the wrong approach to boost journalism.

“Ad revenues that used to be the mainstay of area journalism, big tech now income from that journalism, but hasn’t paid for it,” stated Peter Julian, Dwelling chief for the New Democrats, on Thursday.

“The period where by massive tech can operate with no social obligation as section of their enterprise system is over.”

When Australia launched a very similar legislation in 2021, Meta temporarily blocked news from Facebook.

Meta has previously threatened to make that move in Canada, but the enterprise claimed Thursday it has not designed any variations to its companies in this

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Bill C-18 explained: How to know if Google is blocking your information

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Google has briefly blocked some Canadian customers from viewing news written content.

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The business states the shift is a reaction to the Liberal government’s proposed On-line Information Act, or Invoice C-18, which would have to have world wide web giants to compensate Canadian media companies for creating news material obtainable on their platforms.

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WHAT IS Bill C-18?

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First tabled in June 2022, Bill C-18 would basically drive firms like Google and Meta, which owns Fb, to negotiate discounts to fork out Canadian media businesses for the content material they url to and preview on their web sites and platforms.

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“The Monthly bill introduces a new bargaining framework supposed to aid information organizations to secure truthful payment when their information written content is produced offered by dominant electronic information intermediaries and generates economic get,” an explanatory note from the authorities says. “It seeks to aid balanced negotiations concerning the organizations that function dominant electronic information intermediaries and the corporations accountable for the news outlets that create this information information.”

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The invoice passed in the House of Commons in December and will shortly be researched by the Senate. In its recent version, failure to comply could consequence in fines as high as $10 million for a 1st violation.

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“Canadians need to have to have entry to high quality, fact-primarily based news at the nearby and national ranges, and which is why we introduced the On the net Information Act,” a spokesperson for Canadian Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez explained to CTVNews.ca. “Tech giants require to be extra transparent and accountable to Canadians.”

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WHY IS GOOGLE BLOCKING News Material?

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According to Google, the business is testing methods to comply with new regulations proposed in Invoice C-18.

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“We’re briefly tests likely products responses to Invoice

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Why Google is blocking some Canadians from looking at on line information

by  on  in Business Google News

Google is blocking some Canadian buyers from viewing news material in what the enterprise suggests is a exam run of a possible reaction to the Liberal government’s on-line news bill.

Also known as Bill C-18, the On-line Information Act would demand digital giants this sort of as Google and Meta, which owns Fb, to negotiate promotions that would compensate Canadian media businesses for republishing their written content on their platforms.

The firm stated Wednesday that it is temporarily limiting entry to information material for beneath four for each cent of its Canadian people as it assesses feasible responses to the invoice. The improve applies to its ubiquitous search engine as properly as the Discover feature on Android units, which carries information and sports tales.

All kinds of information content material are staying impacted by the test, which will operate for about five months, the company said. That contains material established by Canadian broadcasters and newspapers.

“We’re briefly screening opportunity product responses to Invoice C-18 that impact a quite compact percentage of Canadian users,” Google spokesman Shay Purdy stated in a penned assertion on Wednesday in reaction to inquiries from The Canadian Press.

The company runs 1000’s of exams just about every yr to evaluate any opportunity variations to its search motor, he added.

In a assertion, CBC spokesperson Chuck Thompson said CBC/Radio-Canada does not have a formal partnership in spot with Google that compensates the broadcaster for use of its news content. 

“We were not given any advance see Google was getting this step.”

Canadians will never be intimidated, suggests spokesperson

A spokesperson for Canadian Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez mentioned Canadians will not be intimidated and called it disappointing that Google is borrowing from Meta’s playbook.

“Canadians want to have obtain to good quality, reality-dependent information at the community and

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