HomeNewsOnline News Act: Necessary Response to Rapidly Changing Media Landscape, Says Heritage...

Online News Act: Necessary Response to Rapidly Changing Media Landscape, Says Heritage Minister

Published on

spot_img

In light of the rapidly transforming media scenario, Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge declared at the MINDS international news agency conference that, although the Online News Act may have its imperfections, the pace of media evolution doesn’t allow the government the luxury of further delay.

“The media landscape is changing too fast for the government to wait any longer,” St-Onge emphasized, reflecting the urgency to address the dynamics between digital platforms and news providers.

Central to the Act is a provision compelling tech behemoths like Facebook and Google to financially compensate for featuring news links on their platforms. St-Onge underscored the government’s resolve in this matter, stating, “The government intends to stand firm with the law.”

St-Onge’s remarks were not devoid of criticisms targeted at Facebook. She highlighted what she perceived as “intimidation tactics” employed by the tech giant, which involved the removal of all Canadian news links, even before the enforcement of the Act. “Facebook is using intimidation tactics by removing all news links in Canada before the act is even in force,” she said, urging other nations to consider similar actions against tech giants to safeguard the future of news.

The Facebook logo is seen on a mobile phone, Oct. 14, 2022, in Boston. PHOTO BY MICHAEL DWYER /THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

In contrast, Meta, Facebook’s parent company, has vehemently contested the premise of the legislation. They argue it’s based on a flawed assumption suggesting companies like Meta unfairly profit from news content. Their stance remains that ceasing news availability in Canada is the sole viable way to comply with the impending law.

While Facebook’s reaction has been rather combative, Google’s approach is marked by a more conciliatory tone. They have maintained an open channel of dialogue with the government. Recognizing this, St-Onge mentioned, “I had heard the company’s concern about knowing how much they’ll have to pay under the law.”

In reflection, the Heritage Minister admitted the challenges they face stem partly from the government’s procrastination in regulating digital platforms. However, she remains hopeful, adding that “it’s starting with this law and can adapt it over time.”

Latest articles

Vancouver Lawyer Accused of Pseudolegal ‘Paper Terrorism’ in Neighbour Dispute

A legal battle over a privacy divider on a condo rooftop deck in Vancouver's...

Tackling Climate Change: UK’s Quest to Breed Climate-Friendly Sheep

Amid the ongoing discussions at the UN Climate Summit in Dubai, a unique study...

Who is Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas political leader in Gaza?

Yahya Sinwar, the political leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, is a figure...

Canada Marks World AIDS Day with Distribution of Free HIV Self-Test Kits

In an effort to tackle the ongoing HIV challenge, the federal government of Canada...

More like this

Conservative MP Apologizes After Requesting Bilingual Minister to Speak English

Conservative MP Rachael Thomas faced criticism and subsequently apologized for requesting Heritage Minister Pascale...

Prime Minister Trudeau Responds to Allegations of Toxic Workplace at CSIS

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has expressed deep concern over the recent allegations of a...

Ontario to Replace Mandatory Coroners’ Inquests on Construction Site Deaths with Annual Reviews

The Ontario government, led by Solicitor General Michael Kerzner, announced a significant change to...