Meta plans to remove news content from Facebook and Instagram for users in Canada after the Online News Act passed Canada's Senate and received Royal Assent

With Bill C-18 on the verge of becoming law, Canadians could soon see news removed from their Facebook pages and Google searches

National Post 2023-06-23 Anja Karadeglija

Context & Ripple Effects

Meta had already said it would block Canadian news-sharing if Bill C-18 became law, making this the execution phase of its earlier warning to Canadian users and publishers. The decision turns a legislative dispute into a distribution change for news organizations and the audiences that reach them through Meta’s apps.

The stakes extend beyond Meta: Google and Meta had jointly signaled that access to news could be withdrawn under the proposed rules, placing the law at the center of a broader platform-publisher bargaining conflict.

First-order effects

Canadian Facebook and Instagram users face the loss of in-platform access to and sharing of news, while publishers lose a major referral and audience-discovery channel.
Meta avoids participating in the news-payment framework by removing the category of content at issue; Google’s position remains consequential because it had also warned of a possible withdrawal of news access.

Second-order effects

Publishers will need to shift more audience acquisition toward direct channels and other distribution partners, with the greatest pressure on outlets that depend on social discovery.
The move tests whether legislation intended to strengthen publisher bargaining power can preserve news availability when a platform can instead restrict the relevant service.

Third-order effects

If this approach is replicated elsewhere, platform regulation may increasingly produce country-specific product restrictions rather than uniform commercial agreements with publishers.
The episode points to a durable tension in Canada’s news-blocking dispute: governments can set bargaining rules, but large platforms retain control over the interfaces through which news is discovered and shared.

The trend: This is one data point in interface-neutral platform governance, where platforms respond to content-payment mandates by redesigning or limiting access to the affected service.

Discussion

@pablorodriguez Pablo Rodriguez on x
Facebook knows very well that they have no obligations under the act right now. Following Royal Assent of Bill #C18, the Government will engage in a regulatory and implementation process. If the Government can't stand up for Canadians against tech giants, who will? https://twitte…
@tomaxwell Thomas Maxwell on x
Meta has already basically cut off all traffic to news sites anyway https://twitter.com/...
@senateca @senateca on x
.@SenMarcGold's motion, in response to the message from the House of Commons relating to the Senate's amendments to Bill #C18, as amended, has been adopted: https://www.parl.ca/... #SenCA #CdnPoli [image]
@pablorodriguez Pablo Rodriguez on x
Exciting news! (No pun intended) 😉 Next up, Royal Assent! Thank you to all Parliamentarians for their hard work on this important legislation. #C18 #CdnPoli https://twitter.com/...
@thebluegem3 Lucy on x
Oh no!! Just kidding. #NoOneCares https://twitter.com/...
@pablorodriguez Pablo Rodriguez on x
The Online News Act is now law! #C18 #CdnPoli https://twitter.com/... [image]
@awudrick Aaron Wudrick on x
You attacked them as thieves and when they said “okay we'll stop” you called them bullies! You're utterly incoherent. https://twitter.com/...
@mgeist Michael Geist on x
And there it is: Meta confirms that Facebook and Meta will be blocking news in Canada in response to Bill C-18. @pablorodriguez betting it was just a bluff was an epic miscalculation that will cost Canadian media millions of dollars. https://about.fb.com/...
@tleehumphrey Lee Humphrey on x
Every time Team Trudeau says that they're standing up for CDN's, we get screwed. This is just the latest example! #cdnpoli https://twitter.com/...
@rosierocks29 Tokyo Rosie on x
Trudeau has always wanted to restrict Canadians' access to online news. With bill C18, big tech just did that for him without Trudeau looking like a tyrant doing it himself. Don't expect any pushback by the Feds. This is exactly what they wanted. https://www.cbc.ca/...
@senatorhousakos Senator Leo Housakos on x
Justin Trudeau wants to control the news media in Canada. That's what Bill #C18 is really about. It won't save one single journalist's job but will put more $ in exec pockets and will further erode Canadians' trust in traditional news media. WATCH: https://senparlvu.parl.gc.ca/ .…
@jason_kint Jason Kint on x
You are 100% correct of course. Apologies on behalf of all the US tech media who mostly took the bait and gave Facebook another round of headlines even though it's the same hed pushed previously (and it worked with Australia, too). Their plan was very intentional - you're ready. …
@mgeist Michael Geist on x
Seeing some suggest that somehow Facebook blocking news sharing due to Bill C-18 is a good thing. It's not. It will disproportionately hurt smaller and independent media outlets and leave the field to poorer quality sources. Worst of all: it was totally predictable and avoidable.
@hocchamber @hocchamber on x
Royal Assent was granted to Bills #C22, #C9, #S8, #C224, #C242, #C18, #C47, #C51, #C54 and #C55 See the Journals for more info : https://www.ourcommons.ca/... #cdnpoli
@watcherafar @watcherafar on x
Laurentian Liberal arrogance. This the same kind of arrogance that thought David Johnston could legitimately determine if an inquiry into foreign interference was necessary. Get your VPNs ready, folks. https://twitter.com/...
@mattgurney Matt Gurney on x
As I was saying recently, what people need to understand about C-18 is that it isn't intended to save the media (unless you think putting it on life support moments before it would die is “saving"). The purpose is to be seen “doing something” against Big Tech. https://twitter.com…
@mgeist Michael Geist on x
Hard to overstate harm created by the government as it reshapes the Internet in Canada with Bills C-11 and C-18. The consequences were obvious: streaming services considering blocking Canadian consumers, platforms blocking Canadian news sharing. A made-in-Canada miscalculation.
@mgeist Michael Geist on x
Months of Meta consistently stating it would exit news in Canada due to Bill C-18. Yet @pablorodriguez still thought it was a bluff and has no Plan B. Now scrambling to see if Google might not block. Everyone loses with this disastrous legislation. https://about.fb.com/... [image…
@davidreevely David Reevely on x
I spent a considerable amount of time this afternoon confirming with a Meta spokesperson that this announcement means what it says: No news links for users in Canada, including foreign sources. https://about.fb.com/...
@jason_kint Jason Kint on x
Congratulations. Brilliant work, including handling the bullying and misleading points from the duopoly including as recently as today. This will create even more energy and lessons for similar efforts elsewhere. Grateful. https://twitter.com/...
@jason_kint Jason Kint on x
Brilliant. Canada just passed its Online News Act (C-18) through Parliament while standing up to the bullying strategy which Facebook first deployed in Australia. Now on to royal assent. This will be a significant win for Canadian newsrooms despite the expected short-term games. …
@glenngabe Glenn Gabe on x
And regarding Google: “Google said Thursday it is hoping to avoid pulling news from users in Canada. Spokesperson Shay Purdy said Thursday the company is doing everything we can to avoid an outcome that no-one wants.” https://nationalpost.com/... [image]
r/Conservative r on reddit
Meta says it's blocking news on Facebook, Instagram after government passes online news bill. With Bill C-18 on the verge of becoming law …
r/Canada_sub r on reddit
Canadians will no longer have access to news content on Facebook and Instagram, Meta says
r/CanadianConservative r on reddit
Canadians will no longer have access to news content on Facebook and Instagram, Meta says
r/halifax r on reddit
Meta confirms it will block news on Facebook, Instagram as Senate passes Bill C-18
r/onguardforthee r on reddit
Canadians will no longer have access to news content on Facebook and Instagram, Meta says | CBC News
r/canada r on reddit
Meta confirms it will block news on Facebook, Instagram as Senate passes Bill C-18
r/CanadaPolitics r on reddit
Facebook confirms that all news sharing in Canada will end due to passage of Bill C-18

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