The Canadian government is engaging in discussions with Meta regarding the potential reintroduction of online news on Facebook as part of the ongoing dialogue with the tech giant leading up to the CUSMA review. According to Hermine Landry, press secretary to Culture Minister Mark Miller, the government has maintained an open line of communication with platforms since the enactment of the Online News Act in 2023.
Enforced in 2023, the Online News Act mandates that major tech companies like Google and Meta compensate media organizations for the dissemination or use of news content on their platforms. In a recent development, Google and the federal government reached a $100 million annual payment agreement to continue sharing Canadian news online.
Contrary to Google’s approach, Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, opted to eliminate all news content from its platforms to evade payments to news outlets as stipulated in the Online News Act.
The U.S. Trade Representative, Jamieson Greer, highlighted the Online News Act as a trade concern alongside other issues such as enhanced dairy access and restrictions on U.S. alcohol sales. Greer emphasized the need for resolving these matters to facilitate the upcoming CUSMA review starting in July.
Minister Miller is cognizant of the U.S. administration’s stance on the online streaming and news acts. Canada is actively engaged in discussions with Meta to explore solutions that enable Canadians to access news online. Dominic LeBlanc is spearheading the talks, but the specifics of the negotiations remain undisclosed.
Miller emphasized Canada’s willingness to be adaptable regarding the Online News Act while asserting that the U.S. cannot dictate the terms unilaterally. He stressed the importance of safeguarding news providers in the evolving digital landscape.
