Facebook and Google say they will block Canadians’ access to news following Parliament’s approval of Bill C-18, the Online News Act.
But MP Cheryl Gallant says the new law is not about fixing a “power imbalance” between the US tech giants and Canadian news publishers.
Instead, it’s about “propping up dying broadcasters and failing legacy media corporations.”
The Online News Act would require online platforms like Facebook and Google to negotiate with Canadian news publishers to compensate them for the news content they share and use to generate advertising revenue.
News Media Canada, the umbrella organization for many large and small Canadian news publishers, including the North Renfrew Times, welcomed passage of the legislation.
“Real journalism, created by real journalists, continues to be demanded by Canadians and is vital to our democracy, but it costs real money,” said Paul Deegan, president and chief executive officer of News Media Canada…
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