In a significant development, Google recently announced its decision to remove Canadian news content from its search, news, and discover products. The move comes in response to the passing of Bill C-18, also known as the Online News Act, by the Canadian government. The legislation requires online platforms to pay news publishers for their content. While Google expressed disappointment and emphasized its support for Canadian journalism, it deemed the bill unworkable, leading to the removal of news links from its products in Canada. This blog post delves into the details of this decision, the reasons behind it, and the implications it holds for the Canadian news landscape
Google's Response and Transparency
Kent Walker, President of Global Affairs at Google & Alphabet, addressed the issue in a blog post, acknowledging the necessity of being transparent with Canadian publishers and users. Walker noted that Google has informed the government of its decision, highlighting that the implementation of the Online News Act would render it untenable for Google to continue offering its Google News Showcase product in Canada. The company expressed disappointment at the situation and the impacts it entails, emphasizing the importance of open dialogue and clarity regarding financial expectations for platforms linking to news.
Bill C-18 and Industry Backlash
Bill C-18 faced criticism from tech giants, including Google and Meta (formerly Facebook). These companies argued that the legislation essentially imposes a tax on links, an unfair burden. Both Google and Meta expressed their support for Canadian journalism, highlighting the role they play in driving traffic to news publications through their platforms. Google, in particular, stressed that it provided over 3.6 billion links to Canadian news publications last year, contributing significantly to publishers' revenue through ad revenue and new subscriptions.
The Quest for Clarity and Unresolved Concerns
Google emphasized its efforts to engage in discussions with the Canadian government regarding critical issues surrounding the legislation. They sought clarity on financial expectations and a viable path for exemption based on their programs to support news and existing commercial agreements with publishers. While the government acknowledged the reasonableness of Google's concerns and agreed to address some issues, Google expressed uncertainty about the regulatory process's ability to resolve structural issues, such as forced payment for links and uncapped financial liability.
Meta's Response and Facebook News Availability
Meta Platforms, formerly Facebook, also took a stance against the legislation, announcing that it would end access to news on Facebook and Instagram for all users in Canada. In response to the approved legislation, Meta stated that news availability would cease on its platforms before the Online News Act took effect.
Kent Walker, President of Global Affairs at Google & Alphabet, addressed the issue in a blog post, acknowledging the necessity of being transparent with Canadian publishers and users. Walker noted that Google has informed the government of its decision, highlighting that the implementation of the Online News Act would render it untenable for Google to continue offering its Google News Showcase product in Canada. The company expressed disappointment at the situation and the impacts it entails, emphasizing the importance of open dialogue and clarity regarding financial expectations for platforms linking to news.
Bill C-18 and Industry Backlash
Bill C-18 faced criticism from tech giants, including Google and Meta (formerly Facebook). These companies argued that the legislation essentially imposes a tax on links, an unfair burden. Both Google and Meta expressed their support for Canadian journalism, highlighting the role they play in driving traffic to news publications through their platforms. Google, in particular, stressed that it provided over 3.6 billion links to Canadian news publications last year, contributing significantly to publishers' revenue through ad revenue and new subscriptions.
The Quest for Clarity and Unresolved Concerns
Google emphasized its efforts to engage in discussions with the Canadian government regarding critical issues surrounding the legislation. They sought clarity on financial expectations and a viable path for exemption based on their programs to support news and existing commercial agreements with publishers. While the government acknowledged the reasonableness of Google's concerns and agreed to address some issues, Google expressed uncertainty about the regulatory process's ability to resolve structural issues, such as forced payment for links and uncapped financial liability.
Meta's Response and Facebook News Availability
Meta Platforms, formerly Facebook, also took a stance against the legislation, announcing that it would end access to news on Facebook and Instagram for all users in Canada. In response to the approved legislation, Meta stated that news availability would cease on its platforms before the Online News Act took effect.
Google's decision to remove Canadian news content from its search, news, and discover products is a direct response to the passing of the Online News Act. While expressing support for Canadian journalism, Google found the legislation unworkable and raised concerns regarding financial expectations and structural issues. The removal of news links from Google's products in Canada, along with Meta's decision regarding Facebook and Instagram, highlights the complexity of the publisher payment debate and its impact on the availability of news for Canadian users. The future implications of this legislative development remain uncertain, as stakeholders continue to navigate the evolving landscape of digital news and content distribution.
Author
-Anurag
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