VICTORIA — The British Columbia government says it has stopped advertising on Facebook and Instagram to send a message to parent company Meta, which is blocking Canadian news from the social media platforms.
Meta's decision to cut off news access for many people in British Columbia is "unacceptable," Premier David Eby said in a statement.
"Local media creates much of the content that tech giants have relied on to build their business models, and many British Columbians now rely on social media to get their news," Eby said. The Online News Act, expected to come into force within six months, will require the largest digital platforms, including Meta and Google, to negotiate with Canadian news businesses and pay for the use of their content.
The statement said B.C. will only advertise on Meta to provide the public with critical information related to public health and safety emergencies, including wildfire information. The statement said Google has said it will block Canadian news when the act comes into force, but the company is in discussions with the federal government.Canadian media, including the Toronto Star, CBC, Postmedia and Bell Media, have also announced plans to stop advertising on Facebook and Instagram.
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