CBC/Radio-Canada, the Canadian Association of Broadcasters, and News Media Canada have applied to Canada’s Competition Bureau to investigate Meta’s decision to block news content from its online platforms in Canada.
“Meta’s anticompetitive conduct, which has attracted the attention of regulators around the world, will strengthen its already dominant position in advertising and social media distribution and harm Canadian journalism.”
On June 29, Google announced it would be removing links to Canadian news from its Search, News, and Discover products, saying the legislation was “unworkable” and that Ottawa had failed to give assurances that the regulatory process would be able to resolve structural issues in the legislation.
According to the news organizations, Meta controls more than 70 percent of the online social media market in Canada through Facebook and Instagram. “Through its decision to block news content from its digital platforms, Meta seeks to impair Canadian news organizations’ ability to compete effectively in the news publishing and online advertising markets,” they said in the joint statement.The organizations argued Meta’s conduct would diminish Canadian news consumers’ exposure to news content, therefore impairing news organizations’ ability to compete for revenue from online advertising and their readers.
They have asked Canada’s Competition Bureau to use its investigative and prosecutorial tools to protect competition and prohibit Meta from continuing to block Canadians’ access to news content. They also requested Meta refrain from “discriminating, by algorithm or by any other means,” against content from Canadian news organizations on its online platforms in Canada.
“If Meta is allowed to proceed unchecked, it could inflict significant damage to Canadian news organizations’ ability to offer quality news services to Canadians, which is critical to the functioning of a free and democratic society.”
In a statement to the Epoch Times, the Competition Bureau of Canada said it has received the complaint and is monitoring the developments closely.
“The Bureau is gathering information to consider whether this conduct may fall under the Competition Act, including ways that this specific conduct may harm competition,” said spokesperson John Power.
Mr. Power also said it would be “inappropriate” to speculate or comment on whether Meta’s conduct may raise concerns under the Competition Act.
“We must conduct a thorough and complete examination of the facts before reaching any conclusion as to whether the Competition Act has been contravened,” he said.
